1. Peel eggplant; cut lengthwise in quarters, then crosswise in 1-inch sections. Crush garlic.
2. Heat oil. Add garlic; stir-fry a few times. Add eggplant and stir-fry gently to coat with oil (1 to 2 minutes).
3. Add stock, soy sauce and salt and bring to a boil. Then simmer, covered, until done (10 to 15 minutes).
NOTE: Overcooking makes eggplant mushy. It's at its best when soft on the outside, but still firm inside. VARIATIONS:
1. After step 2, add 1 tablespoon shrimp sauce and stir-fry 1 minute more. Then pick up step 3, omit the soy sauce and salt.
2. In step 3, add 2 tablespoons of dried shrimp (which have been simmered 10 minutes in 1 pup of water). Then, during the last 5 minutes of cooking, add the soy sauce and salt. (The shrimp water may be substituted for the stock.)
From <The Thousand Recipe Chinese Cookbook>, ISBN 0-517-65870-4.
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