Schezwan Style Eggplant

Ingredients 

• 3 medium eggplants
• 2 tablespoons oil + for deep frying 
• 5-7 spring onions with greens
• 1 medium onion
• 1 medium red capsicum
• 1 dried red chillies, boiled
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped garlic
• 2 tablespoons hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 1/2 cup vegetable stock
• 1 teaspoon cornstarch slurry
• 1 teaspoon chilli vinegar
• 8-10 fresh basil leaves

Method

1. Heat sufficient oil in a kadai.
2. Cut eggplants into big cubes. Chop the spring greens into ½ inch pieces and halve their bulbs. Cut red capsicum into small pieces.
3. Gently slide in the eggplant cubes into hot oil and deep-fry till light brown.
4. Put dried red chillies into a mixer jar, add a little water and grind into a fine paste.
5. Heat 2 tbsps oil in a non-stick wok, add garlic and sauté till the garlic turns lightly brown. Add 1 tbsp red chilli paste, hoisin sauce, dark soy sauce and mix well. Drain the eggplant pieces from hot oil and add to the wok. Add ½ cup vegetable stock and mix well.
6. Deep-fry red capsicum pieces in the same hot oil till they become bright in color. Drain on absorbent paper.
7. Add spring onion bulbs along with greens to the wok and mix well.
8. Add cornflour slurry and cook till the mixture thickens. Add fried capsicum and mix well.
9. Add chilli vinegar and continue to cook for 1-2 minutes.
10. Deep-fry basil leaves in the same hot oil till crisp. Drain on absorbent paper.
11. Transfer the eggplant curry into a serving platter, garnish with fried basil leaves and serve hot.

Nutrition Info