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 The Chinese name of this recipe literally translates as Homestyle Eggplant (Jia Chang Qiezi) because just one bite with a bit of rice brings me back home, no matter where I am. The “and pork” of the English name is just to remind you that pretty much any Chinese dish, unless it says it’s chicken or fish (and even then you’ll have to check), has a bit of pork in it to enrich its flavors. This dish has been one of my favorites since childhood and is one of the first I learned how to make from my mom.
Ingredients
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500g/1 lb
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Chinese or Japanese eggplant |
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350-400g
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ground pork
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4 cloves
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garlic |
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3-5
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dried red chilies (to taste) |
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3-5 Tbsp
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soy (to taste)
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2 Tsp
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corn starch |
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water |
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cooking oil |
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chili sauce (optional, if you like more than just the dry heat) |
Preparation
 If you are using long thin Chinese or Japanese eggplant, cut into diamond shape pieces by holding your knife at an angle across the eggplant and rotating the eggplant a quarter turn after each cut. Or, you can cut the eggplant into 2 inch segments and then split them into 4-6 wedges/batons depending on the thickness of the eggplant. If you cannot find Asian eggplant, you can substitute with Western globe eggplants. For these, thickly slice, then cut into about ½ inch cubes.
 Marinate your ground pork with 1tsp soy and 1 tsp of corn starch, mix well and set aside. Mince garlic. Make paste with remaining teaspoon of corn starch by mixing with 3 Tbsp of water and mixing with fingers until dissolved (set aside and remix right before using)
Cook the eggplant first. Heat a well-seasoned wok/pan until hot, then add 2 Tbsp oil until nearly smoking. If you are increasing this recipe by half or more, you will need to cook the eggplant in two batches to cook it effectively. Add eggplant and toss quickly so all eggplant is lightly coated with oil. Lower heat to medium high and toss eggplant periodically to prevent burning (a little browning is actually good). Add an additional Tbsp of oil (drizzle it around the edge of the pan) if your eggplant is sticking.
 [Note: If you prefer to minimize the oil in this dish, you can add a little water at this point (1/4-1/2 cup), reduce heat, cover and simmer for 5 minutes to soften the eggplant. However, this will result in a different textured final product.] The eggplant is done when it shrinks, softens and becomes slightly translucent, losing its Styrofoam look and texture. Remove from heat and set aside.
Add 1 Tbsp oil to the pan and when hot, add garlic and dried chilis (break these apart as you toss them in). Toss quickly to prevent burning and when fragrant, then add ground pork. Break up the meat and sauté until just cooked through. Return eggplant to the wok and toss together.
Add soy sauce to season (this can be anywhere from 1-3 Tbsp depending on how salty you like it and how much eggplant you used) and more fresh chili paste if desired (for a nice round flavor we like the kind with fermented soy beans in it).
The texture should be a bit crumbly with just a touch of sauce. If you like it saucy, you may add the cornstarch liquid at the end and toss to thicken sauce. This dish is very forgiving and can also be adjusted in many ways to suit your taste.
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