Pork and Eggplant Rice Bowl

Ingredients

• 2 Eggplant (2 small eggplants or 1 large eggplant; cut diagonally while rotating, like sharpening a pencil)
• 150 g Ground pork (A lean cut is recommended)
• 1 White part of green onion (Thinly slice; reserve separate green onion for the chili oil)
• 2 Cheongyang chili peppers (Thinly slice; can be substituted with bell pepper)
• 3 tbsp Chili oil (Use prepared chili oil)
• 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes (Add after stir-frying the pork)
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp Regular soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Oyster sauce
• 0.5 tbsp Doubanjiang (The author used a heaping amount, approximately 2/3 tbsp)
• 0.5 tbsp Chicken stock (The author used a heaping amount, approximately 2/3 tbsp)
• 150 ml Water (For a thinner sauce suitable for a rice bowl, add approximately 50ml at the finishing stage)
• 5 tbsp Cooking oil (For frying the eggplant; the original method calls for frying in oil at 180°C for 2 minutes)
• 2 tbsp Cooking wine (For seasoning the pork)
• 0.5 tsp Black pepper (For seasoning the pork)
• 1 tbsp Starch (For the starch slurry)
• 2 tbsp Water (Mix with the starch to make a starch slurry)
• 0.5 cup Cooking oil (For the chili oil)
• 3 tbsp Korean chili flakes (For the chili oil)
• 1 White part of green onion (For the chili oil; cut in half lengthwise, then into 2cm pieces)
• 2 servings Cooked rice (Serve topped with the finished eggplant stir-fry; prepare an amount to taste)

Steps

1. 1

   Add 2 tbsp cooking wine and 1/2 tsp black pepper to the ground pork. Mix thoroughly by hand, then let it season briefly.

2. 2

   Place the eggplants lengthwise and cut them diagonally while rotating them, as if sharpening a pencil. Thinly slice the white part of the green onion and the Cheongyang chili peppers separately.

3. 3

   Prepare the chili oil. Place 1/2 cup cooking oil, 3 tbsp Korean chili flakes, and 1 stalk of the white part of the green onion, halved lengthwise and cut into 2cm pieces, in a microwave-safe container.

4. 4

   Microwave the chili oil ingredients for approximately 3 minutes, then strain out the chili flakes and green onion. Be careful when handling the container and strainer, as the oil will be hot.

5. 5

   Add 5 tbsp cooking oil to a pan and heat thoroughly. Add the sliced eggplant and fry at approximately 180°C for about 2 minutes, or quickly pan-fry both sides until the outside is cooked and the inside is tender with a slight firmness.

6. 6

   Transfer the cooked eggplant to a paper towel-lined plate to drain off excess oil.

7. 7

   Heat a pan over medium heat, then add 3 tbsp chili oil and 1 stalk of thinly sliced white part of the green onion. Stir-fry until the green onion is lightly browned and fragrant.

8. 8

   Add the seasoned ground pork and stir-fry. Break the meat up moderately with a spatula or chopsticks and cook it completely through. To preserve the meat's texture, it does not need to be broken into very small pieces.

9. 9

   Reduce the heat to low and add 1 tbsp Korean chili flakes. Mix quickly to release the aroma without burning the chili flakes.

10. 10

    Add 1 tbsp sugar, 1 tbsp regular soy sauce, 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1/2 tbsp doubanjiang, and 1/2 tbsp chicken stock. Stir-fry with a few tosses.

11. 11

    Pour in 150ml water and increase the heat to medium. Bring it to a vigorous simmer until the sauce bubbles actively around the ingredients.

12. 12

    Once the sauce is simmering, add the thinly sliced Cheongyang chili peppers. If you prefer less heat, substitute finely chopped bell pepper.

13. 13

    Combine 1 tbsp starch and 2 tbsp water in a small bowl and mix well until smooth to make a starch slurry.

14. 14

    Gradually pour the starch slurry into the simmering sauce while stirring continuously, adjusting it to the desired consistency. Do not add it all at once; adjust the amount while observing the thickness.

15. 15

    Add the fried or pan-fried eggplant to the sauce and gently combine. Shake the pan or lightly turn the eggplant with a spatula so it does not break apart.

16. 16

    Bring the mixture to another vigorous simmer so the eggplant and sauce combine well. For serving as a rice bowl, you can add approximately 50ml water to thin the sauce slightly so it mixes easily with the rice.

17. 17

    Place warm cooked rice in bowls, generously spoon the pork and eggplant stir-fry with its sauce over the top, and serve immediately.

Notes

The original recipe sometimes includes bell pepper and canned corn; approximately 2 tbsp corn may be added optionally. When eating the eggplant as a stir-fry on its own, omit the additional water. When serving it as a rice bowl, it is better to thin the sauce slightly. The chili oil makes more than the amount specified; cool any leftover oil and store it in an airtight container for use in other Chinese-style dishes.

Nutrition per serving

• main
• rice dish
• East Asian
• Korean-Chinese
• spicy
• pork
• vegetables
• stir-fried