Name: Szechuan aubergines
Total time: 30 min
Yield: Serves 6
Ingredients: oil; 2 aubergines, cut into batons; 100g (optional) minced pork; 2 cloves garlic, crushed; (we used Ma Po sauce) Szechuan chilli bean paste; grated to make 1 tsp ginger; 1 tbsp golden caster sugar; 100ml vegetable stock; 2 tsp cornflour; 4 tbsp Chinese black vinegar; 2 spring onions, sliced

oil
2 aubergines
cut into batons
100g (optional) minced pork
2 cloves garlic
crushed
(we used Ma Po sauce) Szechuan chilli bean paste
grated to make 1 tsp ginger
1 tbsp golden caster sugar
100ml vegetable stock
2 tsp cornflour
4 tbsp Chinese black vinegar
2 spring onions
sliced

Method

step 1
Heat some oil in a wok and fry the aubergine batons until they are brown and blistered and meltingly tender, add more oil if you need to.Add in the mince, if using, and fry for a few minutes until browned and cooked.Add the garlic and stir once or twice then add the bean paste, ginger and sugar and stir-fry for a minute or two.Add the stock and bring to a simmer for a minute. Mix the cornflour with a little water to make a paste, stir this into the aubergine and cook for a minute, then add the vinegar and spring onions and cook for a minute before serving. Sprinkle with a few more spring onions to serve, if you like.