Sweet and Sour Eggplant with ginger
If you find Eggplant can be boring then this will surprise you! This soft flavour packed eggplant is completely addictive both on it's own or as a side dish. Nobody can get enough of this!!
Ingredients
- 2 kg eggplants 2 to 3 whole- 4.5 lb- large dice
- 1 kg red capsicum / peppers 2 whole- 2 lb, large dice
- 600 gm onions large dice, approx, 1 lb
- 6 cloves garlic
- 30 gm ginger, grated 2 thumb sized pieces, 16 oz
- 250 ml oil, vegetable plus more if needed- 1 cup
- 500 ml water 2 cups|
- 100 gm tomato paste a little more is no harm
- 80 ml sweet soy, ketchup manis 4 Tablespoons, 2.8 oz
- 80 ml rice vinegar 4 tablespoons, 2.8 oz
- 40 ml soy sauce 2 tablespoons, light soy
- 1 bunch coriander cleaned and chopped leaves, stems and roots
- 2 teaspoon salt
Instructions
- Peel the eggplant and cut into 3 cm chunks (1 inch). Put into a colander and sprinkle with 1 teaspoon salt and toss. Let stand
- Cut the onion, red capsicum, prepare the grated ginger and the crushed garlic.
- Use a large pot so there is room to cook the vegetables. (Don't use a fry pan). Put the oil into the pot and heat a little. Add the onion, garlic and ginger and sweat till softened but not coloured.
- Wash the eggplant to get rid of excess salt and dry with kitchen paper or a teatowel.
- Add the eggplant and sweat a bit longer with the onion. You will see that the oil will soak into the eggplant straight away. Keep stirring but don't let it get brown, just sweat it. You can add a little more oil if you like. Add the capsicum and toss further.
- Add the water to stop any browning, next add the tomato paste and the sauces along with the vinegar and chopped coriander. Cook on low till the eggplant is tender all the way through when tested with a fork. Stir interminttently for approximately 15- 20 minutes
- Taste the sauce and add more vinegar and salt if needed. The taste should be sweet, sour and nicely salted.
Notes
- Ketchup manis is a sweet soy that has wonderful caramel tones. Don't buy ketchup manis sedang because it is salty. if you can't get your hands on it you can replace it with some brown sugar to taste. That means you add about a quarter of a cup. Stir and melt then add more later if needed once the other ingredients are added.
- Adjust the flavours of your sweet and sour by adding more vinegar and some salt if needed
- You can add chilli if you love that too. Add 2 Tablespoons Sriracha sauce or fresh chilli
- Cook the eggplant slowly once the sauces are in. Cook till the eggplant is tender all the way through
- This is also amazing with a Tablespoon of sesame oil added at the end. Stir through.