How To Prepare Szechuan Spicy Eggplant ?

Preparation: 

Preparation time: 25 mins

Cooking time: 25 mins

Serving: 4

Ingredients:

• 1 (1 1/2 pound) eggplant
• ¼ cup soy sauce
• ¼ cup chicken stock
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce (Optional)
• 1 teaspoon chili sauce
• 1 teaspoon white sugar
• ½ teaspoon ground black pepper
• ¼ cup water
• 1 tablespoon cornstarch
• cooking spray
• 4 large green onions, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon chopped fresh ginger root
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• ⅓ pound lean ground beef
• ¼ pound fresh shrimp - peeled, deveined, and diced
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 4 cups hot cooked rice

Instructions:

1. Remove eggplant stem and cut flesh into 1-inch cubes. Set aside.
2. Mix together soy sauce, stock, oyster sauce, chili sauce, sugar, and black pepper in a medium bowl until well combined; set aside. Stir together water and cornstarch in a small bowl until smooth; set aside.
3. Coat a large, deep pan with cooking spray over high heat and heat until very hot, about 3 minutes. Cook and stir 1/2 of the green onions, ginger, and garlic in the hot pan until lightly browned, 3 to 5 minutes. Add beef; cook and stir until lightly browned and crumbly, about 3 minutes.
4. Stir in eggplant, then pour the soy sauce mixture over all. Cover the pan, reduce heat to medium-low, and let simmer for 15 minutes, stirring occasionally. Add shrimp during the last few minutes of cooking.
5. Stir in the cornstarch mixture and cook until thickened. Mix in the remaining green onions and sesame oil. Serve over hot rice.