Recipe - Szechwan-Style Eggplant

One fourth cup Vegetable oil
1 One fourth pound Eggplant; peeled if desired
and cut into 1/2inch cubes
(about 6 cups)
1 teaspoon Cornstarch
One half cup Chicken broth
1 teaspoon Minced garlic
1 tablespoon Minced peeled fresh
gingerroot
2 teaspoon Szechwan chili paste; or to
taste (up to 3)
1 teaspoon Hoisin sauce
1 tablespoon Rice vinegar or whitewine
vinegar
1 tablespoon Dry sherry
3 Scallions; cut or sliced up thin
2 tablespoon Soy sauce
1 tablespoon Firmly packed light brown
sugar
1 Red bell pepper; minced
One half teaspoon Oriental sesame oil; or to
taste

In a wok or large skillet heat the vegetable oil over high heat until it is
hot but not smoking and in it stir fry the eggplant over moderately high
heat for 3 to 5 minutes, or until it is tender and browned. Transfer the
eggplant with a slotted spoon to paper towels to drain.

In a small bowl dissolve the cornstarch in the broth. To the wok add the
garlic, the gingerroot, the chili paste, the hoisin sauce, the vinegar, and
the Sherry and stir fry the mixture for 30 seconds. Add the scallions and
stir fry the mixture for 30 seconds. Add the soy sauce, the brown sugar,
the cornstarch mixture, stirred, the bell pepper, and the eggplant and stir
fry the mixture for 1 minute, or until the eggplant has absorbed most of
the liquid. Remove the wok from the heat, add the sesame oil and salt and
pepper to taste, and toss the mixture well. The eggplant mixture may be
made 1 day in advance and kept covered and chilled.

Yield: 4 cups

Recipe by: Cooking Live Show #CL8974

Posted to MCRecipe Digest V1 #846 by "Angele and Jon Freeman"
jfreeman@netusa1.net on Oct 14, 1997