Stuffed aubergine 元寶茄子

I can't stop buying aubergines lately. It's so cheap in Lidl.

Here is another nice and easy recipe. It's stuffed aubergine with minced pork. In Chinese this is called 'yuan bao qie zi' 元寶茄子, loosely translated as Chinese gold ingot aubergine.

Make a pork mince mix with about 150 - 180g of minced pork (depending on the size of the aubergine), mix this with 2 - 3 large soaked and finely chopped shitake mushrooms, 1 tbsp of chopped ginger, 2 tsp of light soy, 1 tbsp shaoshing wine, pinch of ground pepper, 1 heap tbsp of cornflour and 1 tsp of sesame oil. Leave this to marinate for about 15 minutes.

Then take one large aubergine, cut off the stalk and slice the aubergine into fan shape about 7 - 8 mm thick slices, taking care not to cut through leaving about 0.5cm underneath uncut.

Using a butter/serving knife, gently stuff the pork mixture in between the cuts. When done, smooth the surface and gently squeeze both ends towards the centre to firm up the meat.


Then either steam the aubergine or bake. Steaming is the traditional method since most Chinese kitchens do not have an oven, this will take about 20 - 25 minutes. Or I much preferred to put the aubergine in a roasting tray or loaf tin, add in few tbsp of water and cover the tray or tin with foil then bake at around 180deg C for about 1 hour or a bit more till cooked through. Test with a skewer into the centre layer of aubergine if it pierces through easily it's cooked.

Then carefully transfer the aubergine onto a dish, save the cooking liquid. Now make the sauce. Fry a little of chopped garlic (1 clove) with around 2 tsp of chopped ginger with some cooking oil, then add in 1.5 - 2 tbsp of oyster sauce, the aubergine cooking juice, 1.5 tbsp shaoshing wine, a little light soy sauce (optional), pinch of ground pepper. Stir then add in 1/2 cup of water mixed with 1 heap tsp of cornflour, stir till hot and thickened. Finally add in a dash of sesame oil. Pour the sauce over the aubergine.

Then garnish with chopped spring onion.