Читать книгу Chinese Food Made Easy: 100 simple, healthy recipes from easy-to-find ingredients - Ching-He Huang - Страница 26

SERVES 4 TO SHARE

3 tablespoons groundnut oil

1 aubergine, halved lengthways and then cut into 1cm/1/2 inch slices, top to bottom

2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped

1 medium red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped

1 tablespoon freshly grated root ginger

200g/7oz minced pork

1 tablespoon Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry

2 tablespoons chilli bean sauce

200ml/7fl oz hot chicken stock

1 tablespoon clear rice vinegar or cider vinegar

1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

2 large spring onions, chopped

1 tablespoon cornflour blended with 2 tablespoons cold water

1 Heat a wok over a high heat and add 2 tablespoons groundnut oil. Add the aubergine slices and a few splashes of water to create some steam and fry until the aubergine is softened and golden on the outside. Transfer to a plate and put to one side.

2 Wipe out the wok, reheat and add 1 tablespoon groundnut oil. Stir-fry the garlic, chilli and ginger for a few seconds, then add the minced pork. Stir-fry for 1 minute, then add the rice wine or sherry. Cook until the meat is browned, then add the chilli bean sauce and stock. Return the aubergines to the wok.

3 Season with the vinegar and sesame oil and bring to the boil. Stir in the spring onions. Add the blended cornflour and stir to thicken. Serve immediately.

This famed Sichuan dish originated in Chengdu; the name comes from the bamboo shoulder poles (dan) from which the noodle sellers suspended their stoves, noodles and sauces. This is served as a quick solution to those in need of a snack – mah-jong players and gamblers wandering around the city at night – but I love to serve small bowls of it as a starter to get the tastebuds going. There are several versions, some spicier and some drier than others, but I like more sauce and have added chicken stock. Traditionally, this dish also uses preserved mustard greens or Tianjin preserved vegetables, but one day I didn’t have any and used pickled cornichons instead.