Chinese eggplant is one of my favorite things to cook. This recipe is something I know by heart and can cook quickly on a weeknight when I need food for today and leftovers for tomorrow’s lunch. I love adding shiitaki mushrooms to the mix to add some extra vegetables and umami!

Ingredients

• Chinese eggplants - 2
• Fresh shiitaki mushrooms - 6 (optional)
• Minced pork - 1 pound
• Garlic - 5 cloves
• Ginger - 2 thumbs
• Thai chili peppers - 3
• Green onions - 2 stalks
• Kosher salt - 2 tbsp
• White pepper - to taste
• Sugar - ½ tsp
• Vegetable oil - 5 tbsp
• Soy sauce - 1 tsbp
• Shaoxing wine (Chinese cooking wine) - 3 tbsp
• Fish sauce - 1 tbsp
• Doubanjiang (broad bean sauce) - 3 tbsp
• Sesame oil - 1 tbsp
• Rice vinegar or white vinegar - 3 tbsp

Steps

1. Slice eggplants into 2½ inch pieces and slice each piece into quarters lengthwise. Add to a colander, mix with salt, and set aside for about 15 minutes.
2. Add minced pork, white pepper, 2 tbsp of vegetable oil, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, and fish sauce to another bowl.
3. Finely dice shiitaki mushrooms if using. I like my mushrooms to blend in with the pork, but you can also thinly slice them if you prefer them to stand out more!
4. Mince garlic and ginger. Add half of the minced ginger to the bowl with the minced pork and mix well.
5. Finely slice green onions and Thai chili peppers. Set aside the green parts of the onions and add the white parts to a small bowl with the rest of the aromatics (minced garlic, ginger, and Thai chili peppers).
6. Bring a medium pot of water to boil and add the vinegar and eggplants. Parboil for a couple of minutes and then drain the eggplants and set aside.
7. Heat up 1 tbsp of oil in a wok and add your minced pork mix. Stir fry until no more pink is visible and either move the pork to the edge of the wok or remove.
8. Heat up the remaining oil (2 tbsp) in a wok and add your small bowl of aromatics. Stir fry for 30-60 seconds and then add in mushrooms if using. Cook the mixture for another couple of minutes, add the doubanjiang, and then cook for another minute.
9. Add the pork and eggplant back in and fry for another couple of minutes. Add the sugar and sesame oil, mix well, and turn off the heat.
10. Add the green parts of the onions as a garnish or mix them into the wok. Serve over white rice.