Chinnese Eggplant with Minced Pork & Soy-Black Pepper

Ingredients

• 1 medium eggplant
• 250 g ground pork
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tsp black pepper
• 2 cloves garlic
• 1 tsp ginger
• 1 tbsp cornstarch
• 3 tbsp water
• 1 tbsp neutral oil
• 1 tsp sesame oil(optional)

Instructions

1. 1

   Prep (15 min): Cut the eggplant into bite-size pieces. Mince the garlic and ginger. Mix cornstarch with water until smooth.

2. 2

   Cook (25 min): Heat oil in a skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Add ground pork and cook, breaking it up, until browned and mostly cooked through, about 8–10 minutes.

3. 3

   Add garlic and ginger and stir for 30–60 seconds. Add eggplant and toss to coat with the pork fat.

4. 4

   Stir in soy sauce and black pepper. Add a splash of water if the pan looks dry. Cover and simmer until the eggplant is tender, about 12–14 minutes.

5. 5

   Uncover and stir in the cornstarch slurry. Cook 1–2 minutes until the sauce thickens and clings to the eggplant. Turn off heat and stir in sesame oil if using. Serve hot.