Eggplant Szechuan Style (Recipe)

Ingredients

3/4 kilo eggplants

4 long green onions

2 tablespoons hot bean sauce

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon calamansi extract

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 tablespoon water

1 clove garlic, finely chopped

2 teaspoons fresh ginger, minced

5 tablespoons vegetable oil

1/2 cup water

1 teaspoon oriental sesame oil

1 1/2 teaspoon sugar

Steps

1. Cut eggplant into 2 x 1/2 inches.

2. Separate 1 green onion and cut into thin slices. Reserve for garnish.

3. Cut remaining onions into thin slices and combine with garlic, ginger, and hot bean sauce in bowl. Set aside.

4. Combine 1/2 cup water, soy sauce, calamansi extract, and sugar in another bowl. Set aside.

5. Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in a skillet over medium-high heat.

6. Add half of the eggplants and cook for 5 minutes. Stir until soft and moist. Drain in colander.

7. Repeat the two immediate procedures above for the remaining eggplants.

8. Heat the remaining 1 tablespoon vegetable oil in the skillet.

9. Add the onion-garlic mixture and stir for 30 seconds.

10 Add the soy sauce-sugar mixture.

11. Bring to a boil stirring occasionally until liquid has almost evaporated.

12. Add diluted cornstarch. Stir until soy sauce boils and thickens slightly.

13. Stir in a sesame oil.

14. Garnish with reserved onion slices.