Sichuan aubergine

Prep time: 10 mins     Cooking time: 10 mins

Serves: 4-6

The beautiful aromatic sauce brings this humble vegetable to life with a little bit of "kick" of Sichuan pepper and chilli. This Chinese aubergine dish is hot, sour, salty and sweet and marries all the flavours to perfect balance and compliments the aubergine beautifully.

Can be served as a main vegetarian dish or side dish.

Sauce:

2 Tbsp vegetable stock or water

2 Tbsp gochujang paste

2 Tbsp soy sauce

2 Tbsp Chinese black vinegar (or balsamic vinegar)

1 Tbsp Chinese rice wine

2 Tbsp soft dark sugar

2 tsp cornstarch

1 1/2 lb Asian aubergine, sliced into quarters and then into 1" bite-sized cubes

1 Tbsp vegetable oil

2 tsp sesame oil

2 tsp ground Sichuan peppercorns

1 tsp chilli flakes

3 garlic cloves, minced

2" ginger, minced

spring onions (thinly sliced) and sesame seeds - to finish

1. Mix the sauce ingredients, set aside.

2. Heat the wok on high heat till smoky. Add the vegetable oil, swirl around and add aubergine pieces. Cook for about 3 to 5 mins until it softens.

3. Turn the heat to medium, add sesame oil to the wok along with ginger, garlic, Sichuan peppercorns and chilli flakes. Cook for about 30 secs. Add the sauce and allow to simmer for to thicken the sauce and cover all aubergine pieces (about 3-4 mins).

3. Add spring onions, mix.

4. Serve with rice. Sprinkle sesame seeds over the dish.