Eggplant Basil Stir Fry

Adapted from a recipe for Spicy Garlic Eggplant in The Breath of a Wok by Grace Young and Alan Richardson

Ingredients:

• 5-6 medium Asian eggplants, cut into 2 inch long pieces
• Sauce:
  • 1/4 cup soy sauce
  • 2 Tbsp balsamic vinegar
  • 2 Tbsp 'Shao Hsing' rice wine (you can find this in an ethnic Asian grocery store)
  • 1 tsp brown sugar
  • 1 tsp salt
  • 1/2 tsp black pepper
• 3-4 Tbsp vegetable oil or sesame oil
• 5-6 large cloves garlic, minced fine
• 2 inch piece ginger, grated
• 5-6 whole dried red chilies soaked in warm water for around 10 mins
• 2 medium carrots, cubed
• 3-4 stems of celery, cubed (use the tender inside stems if possible)
• 1 huge bunch of basil, chopped
• 1 tsp toasted sesame oil for drizzling (you can find this in an ethnic Asian grocery store)

Method:

• Use a steamer and steam the cut eggplant for around 5 minutes
• Mix together all the ingredients for the sauce and set aside
• Heat the oil in a wok and add the garlic, ginger and soaked red chilies and fry for half a minute
• Add the cubed carrots and celery and fry for a couple of minutes
• Add the steamed eggplant and fry for half a minute
• Now stir the sauce in to the wok and cook for about a minute until the eggplant has soaked up the sauce
• Switch off the heat and stir in the basil
• When the basil has wilted, remove from wok in to serving platter and drizzle with sesame oil
• Serve with steamed white rice