Garlic stewed aubergine
This is one of my favourite dishes in Taiwan. It can be served cold as an appetizer with dumplings, cucumber salad or braised seaweed as part of small eats (xiao chi). It can also be served as a main dish, served with rice and a very popular family dish.
Preparation time: 10 minutes
Cooking time: 15 minutes
Serves 2
Ingredients:
- 1 aubergine (eggplant)
- 250 gram minced pork
- 4 cloves of garlic
- 4 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons raw sugar
- 2 tablespoons rice wine (mi chiu)
- 1 tablespoon cornflour
- 1 tablespoon sesame oil
- 1 red chilli
Directions
1. Slice the aubergines into cubes, roughly slice chilli in diagonals and dice the garlic.
2. In a heated pan, add a dash of vegetable oil and half the garlic.
3. Add the aubergines and stir fry on medium heat for 5 minutes.
4. Add 2 table spoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon rice wine, stir and then simmer for 3 minutes.
5. Remove the aubergines from the heat.
6. In the heated pan, add the mince meat and stir fry for 2 minutes.
5. Add 2 table spoons soy sauce, 1 tablespoon sugar and 1 tablespoon rice wine and simmer for 1 minute.
6. Add aubergine to the pan and mince.
7. Add the chilli, remaining garlic and sesame oil and stir.
8. In a separate bowl, mix the cornflour and ½ cup water. Add to the pan.
9. Mix and combine well until the sauce thickens.
10. Remove from the pan and serve with rice.
Tip: You can opt for a vegetarian version by eliminating the minced pork and adding more garlic if you prefer.
Read MoreTaiwanese spring onion pancake
This is a great side dish that is traditionally served at breakfast in Taiwan. It is a savoury pancake and the mixed flavours & textures make it a delight to eat. It can also be used to wrap a chinese cruller (yo tiao) and eaten as a roll.
Preparation time: 1 ½ hours
Cooking time: 15 min
Ingredients:
- 2 cups plain flour
- 1 cup warm water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 6 sprigs spring onion
Directions
1. Pour the flour and salt into a bowl and combine. Make a well.
2. Pour water and slowly combine with your hands.
3. Knead the mixture well until a dough ball forms.
4. Set aside for 1 hour. Place a wet cloth over to stop it from drying.
5. Finely slice the spring onion into small pieces.
6. Lightly flour a flat surface and transfer the dough.
7. Using a rolling pin, start rolling the dough into a flat circle (roughly 2cm thick) and sprinkle half the spring onion.
8. Fold the dough over twice and form into a ball. Roll the dough once again and add the remainder spring onion.
9. Fold the dough over twice, form into a cylinder shape and break into 6 even sections. Shape each section into a ball. Roll each into a flat circle, roughly 1cm thick.
10. In a heated pan with a dash of oil, add the pancakes one by one.
11. Fry for 5 minutes until lightly brown on each side.
12. Serve with soy sauce for dipping.
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