Chinese Eggplant with Garlic Sauce

Ingredients

Eggplant

• 10 oz Chinese eggplant (about 2 small), chopped to bite-size pieces
• 1 tsp salt
• 1 tbsp cornstarch

Sauce

• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 1 tbsp water
• 1/2 tsp dark soy sauce
• 2 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp cornstarch

Cooking

• 2 1/2 tbsp peanut oil or vegetable oil
• 1 tsp minced ginger
• 3 cloves garlic, chopped

Instructions

1. Soak eggplant in salted water for 15 minutes under a pot lid. Drain and pat dry thoroughly.
2. Combine all sauce ingredients in a small bowl and set aside.
3. Coat eggplant evenly with 1 tablespoon cornstarch.
4. Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Cook eggplant without overlapping until charred and soft, about 8-10 minutes, turning as needed. Remove from pan.
5. Add remaining 1/2 teaspoon oil, ginger, and garlic to the skillet. Stir until fragrant.
6. Return eggplant to skillet. Stir the sauce to fully dissolve the cornstarch, then pour over the eggplant. Stir immediately until evenly coated and sauce thickens.
7. Serve hot with rice or noodles.