The Malaya Szechuan Eggplant

Ingredients:

1 litre vegetable or peanut oil for frying
300g eggplant, cut in 4cm x 4cm cubes
200g cornflour
½ teaspoon minced garlic
1 teaspoon minced ginger
30g shallots, cut in 4cm lengths
10g birds eye chilli
40g roasted cashew nuts
5 teaspoons double dark soya sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
Pinch salt
2 teaspoons white vinegar

Method:

Heat oil in wok. Wash eggplant, pat dry and coat with cornflour.

When oil is hot, fry eggplant for one and a half minutes or until cooked through. Drain and set aside.

Heat one extra tablespoon of oil in a wok, add garlic, ginger, shallots, birds eye chilli and cashew nuts, stir fry to combine.

Add eggplant, soy sauce, sugar, salt and vinegar and stir fry for another minute or until heated through.

Serve on a bed of blanched English spinach with steamed rice