Chop Suey Aubergine with Thai Basil
by Julie Lin
The secret to this dish’s success lies in its preparation: the aubergines must be fried to perfection. This step transforms them, softening their flesh to a velvety texture and enriching their natural flavours, so they become almost buttery. It’s about coaxing out that creamy smoothness, a counterpoint to the fiery dram, creating a balance where each enhances the other. I adore the striking purple colour and long, snaky shape of Chinese aubergines, but you could use regular ones too. Pair with steamed rice and a good whisky.
Method
Based on 2 servings, adjust as needed.
Step 1
Begin by slicing the baby aubergines lengthways down the centre and then into 4cm chunks. Salt the aubergine pieces generously and leave for 5 minutes. Rinse the salt off the aubergine, drain away any excess water and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Step 2
Add the oil to a large wok until it rises about 1cm up the sides and heat over a medium heat. Add the aubergine pieces and fry until smooth and buttery. Transfer to a plate lined with kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.
Step 3
Return to the wok. You’ll need to keep enough oil to cover the base of the wok and can dispose of the rest. Add the red pepper strips and stir-fry over a high heat for 1–2 minutes or until softened. Now add in the garlic and chilli and fry until fragrant. Return the fried aubergines to the wok and mix all the ingredients together.
Step 4
To make the wok sauce, combine all the sugar, light soy sauce, oyster sauce and white wine vinegar in a small bowl. Add a little more of a little less of any, depending on how you like it. Pour the wok sauce into the wok and stir-fry everything for 1 minute.
Step 5
When ready to serve, garnish the aubergines with the Thai basil leaves and scatter over some crispy fried shallots or onions and sticky rice, cooked according to the packet instructions. Enjoy with a glass of whisky.
- Ingredients
- Based on 2 servings
-
1tbsp White Wine Vinegar 1x Sainsbury's Wine Vinegar, White Wine 500ml -
2 tbsp Oyster Sauce 1x Lee Kum Kee Panda Oyster Sauce 510g -
1 Red Pepper, deseeded and sliced into strips 1x Sainsbury's Red Pepper -
9 Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely diced 1x Sainsbury's Garlic -
1 Fresh Red Bird's Eye Chilli, sliced 1x Sainsbury's Bird Eye Chillies (Red or Green) 20g -
2tsp Sugar 1x Sainsbury's White Caster Sugar 1kg -
2tbsp Light Soy Sauce 1x Lee Kum Kee Premium Light Soy Sauce 500ml -
10g Fresh Thai Basil Sprigs, or regular basil, leaves picked 1x Sainsbury's Thai Basil 20g -
4 tbsp Crispy Fried Shallots, or onions 1x Top Taste Crispy Onions 100g -
600g Baby Aubergines, aka Chinese aubergines (or use regular aubergines) 2x Sainsbury's Baby Aubergines 200g -
50mls Oil, use a flavourless oil, such as rice bran or vegetable, for frying 1x Sainsbury's Vegetable Oil 1L