This spicy side dish is a popular feature at Chinese restaurants, particularly those featuring Szechuan regional cuisine. In Braised Eggplant in Garlic Sauce, eggplant and bits of ground pork are combined with seasonings and simmered in a flavorful sauce. It's made with Chinese eggplant, a purple eggplant with a white streak that is thinner and longer than the egg-shaped eggplant commonly available in local supermarkets. Its heat comes from chili garlic sauce. (Both Chinese eggplant and chili garlic sauce are available at Asian/Chinese markets).
If you've ever fried eggplant, you'll know it loves to soak up oil! To provide an alternative for those wanting a lighter dish, I've included instructions for blanching the eggplant, as well as for stir-frying it in the traditional way.
Braised Eggplant in Garlic Sauce photo ? copyright 2007 by Rhonda Parkinson, licensed to About.com, Inc.
The pungent flavor of Chinese fermented black beans nicely complements both fish and shellfish. In Cantonese Clams in Black Bean Sauce, the clams are cooked in a savory sauce made with the fermented beans and an assortment of Chinese herbs and seasonings.