Lifestyle
This version takes this tasty dish to a new level.
In need of a hearty veggie stir-fry? This one from Ching-He Huang’s new cookbook, Stir Crazy, will do the trick.
Ching says: “I love Sichuan-style Fish-Fragrant Aubergines, which is a spicy, pungent and salty dish, but I always feel it’s missing a nutty sesame flavour. The addition of peanut butter and tahini takes this dish to another level – the perfect comfort dish.”
Ingredients:
(Serves 2)
1tbsp rapeseed oil, plus 1tsp
300g purple aubergine, sliced into 1cm x 3cm strips
1 red chilli, deseeded and finely sliced
1tbsp Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry
For the sauce:
1tsp smooth peanut butter
1tbsp chilli bean paste
1tsp sesame paste, such as tahini
2tbsp low-sodium light soy sauce
1tbsp Chinkiang black rice vinegar or balsamic vinegar
1tbsp cornflour
50ml cold water
For the garnish and to serve:
1 spring onion, finely sliced
1tsp toasted sesame seeds
Wheat flour noodles or steamed jasmine rice
Method:
1. Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce in a jug, then set aside.
2. Heat a wok over a high heat until smoking and add one tablespoon of rapeseed oil. Add the aubergine strips and stir-fry for four to five minutes while adding small drops of water to soften the aubergine – about 100ml in total. As the water evaporates, keep adding more.
3. Once softened, push the aubergines to one side of the wok and add the second teaspoon of rapeseed oil. Fry the sliced chilli for a few seconds, then season with the Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry.
4. Give the sauce a stir, then add to the wok and cook gently, stirring and tossing all the ingredients together until the sauce is heated through and has coated the aubergines – about two minutes.
5. Garnish with the spring onion and toasted sesame seeds and serve immediately with your choice of noodles or rice.
Stir Crazy: 100 Deliciously Healthy Stir-fry Recipes by Ching He-Huang, photography by Tamin Jones, is published by Kyle Books, priced £19.99. Available now.
© Press Association 2017