Sometimes a recipe really excites me. Today, that recipe is Hot and Garlic-y Chicken with Chinese Eggplant (I'm a wordsmith, what can I say). While at Produce Junction (the mecca of cheap, bulk produce) we spotted these peculiar, lanky eggplants and upon inspecting them the women in front of us chirped up and said, "Oh, Chinese eggplant, I just love to saute those." That was good enough for me, and we left the store with six of them (remember, they come in bulk).
The original recipe only calls for the eggplant, but I thought I'd make it a meal with the addition of chicken and a green pepper. I also added garlic and didn't have some of the fancier stuff on hand, so you're going to get my down and dirty interpretation, below. Down and dirty? Maybe. Delicious? Absolutely.
Even Penny thinks they're peculiar looking.Hot and Garlic-y Chicken with Chinese Eggplant
- 2 long Chinese eggplants, cubed
- 1 green bell pepper
- 2 chicken breasts, cooked and cubed
- 1 clove garlic, pressed
- 4 Tb. soy sauce
- 3 Tb. rice wine vinegar (or red)
- 3 Tb. sugar
- 3 tsp. corn starch
- 1 Tb. sesame oil (we used olive)
- Sriracha sauce (which is an Asian hot sauce - add to taste - we used about 2 tsp.)
- dash of red pepper flakes (to taste)
Place the eggplant cubes into a large bowl, and sprinkle with salt. Fill with enough water to cover, and let stand for 30 minutes. Rinse well, and drain on paper towels.
In a small bowl, stir all ingredients listed after garlic . Set the sauce aside.
Heat some oil in a large skillet or wok over medium-high heat. Saute the green pepper, garlic and eggplant until it is tender and begins to brown, 5 to 10 minutes. Pour in the sauce, and cook and stir until the sauce is thick and the eggplant mixture is evenly coated. Add chicken. Serve immediately over rice. (If you're feeling fancy, garnish with sesame seeds.)
Better than take-out. (With the exception of egg rolls; nothing - nothing - beats an egg roll.)
