自己做 魚香茄子

I am a very lazy cook.  Give me a easy receipe with ingredients that either already exist in my pantry or I can get it at any supermarket.  Then maybe I'll cook it.

After going out for dinner two nights in a row, we wanted to chill at home and enjoy a home cooked meal.  This is what I ended up on the dinner table:  Spicy Eggplant with minced meat.

This is pretty much a bullet proof receipe, heck I even cooked it at a potluck : )  My style of cooking is very informal, it's like 'Michael Smith' - I like cooking w/o a receipe.

Ingredients:
3 medium size eggplants
1 lb of minced meat (Chicken, Beef, Pork, or Turkey - basically whatever it's on sale at the market)
1 tsp cornstarch (to thicken sauce)
Ginger
Garlic (if you like more Garlic, put more in then)
oil (up to you, more oil = more tastier, but also not very healthy)
1 Green onion (chopped for garnish)
1 Red hot pepper (Optional: chopped for garnish)

Sauce Ingredients:
1 tbsp chilly garlic sauce
2 lbs soy sauce
2 tbsp rice wine vingar (I substituted w/ japanese kind use for sushi - that's all I have ma : p)
2 tbsp Chinese cooking wine (I don't have any, so no substitute for my dish, hehe)
1 tbsp sugar
2/3 cup of water

Preparation:

1. Cut eggplants (remove top and bottom) into 1/2 inch thick slices
2. Mix all the Sauce Ingredients into a bowl (set aside)
3. In a separate bowl mix cornstarch with 1 tbsp of warm water (set aside)
4. Heat approx 2 tbsp oil in wok
5. Place half of the eggplants into wok, cooked until it becomes slightly brown & soft, then remove from wok to a plate
6. Repeat Step 2 and 3 for the remaining half of the eggplants
7. Heat approx 1 or 2 tbsp oil in wok
8. Add minced meat, ginger and Garlic.  Cooked for approx 3 - 5 mins.
9. Mix and then add the 'Sauce Ingredients' into the wok
10. Once the sauce starts boiling, turn heat down to Medium. Cover wok with lid for 5 mins to thoroughly cook the eggplants.
11. When ready, add the cornstarch mix into the wok, stir until the sauce starts thickening. 
12. Add Green onion and/or sliced hot red peppers
13. Turn off heat b/c your dish is ready to enjoy : )

Disclaimer: I love eating spicy food so the chili garlic sauce is based on my preference.  If you can't take the heat, then put less sauce.

Bon Apetite!