Simple steamed aubergine 蒸茄子

Whenever aubergine is on offer I just got to buy a few. I got a large aubergine (eggplant) to use up, but I just can't be bothered to fry or braise like I normally do, the weather is so warm to stand in front of the cooker. Opting for the easy way, I steam it and cover it with a simple sauce. Nice and simple, the aubergine is soft and slippery. One extra I added which adds lots of flavour is fried garlic and shallot in oil, left over from making the peanut and pork zhongzi, the garlic and shallot bits were crunchy and really tasty.

Here is the recipe:

Ingredients:

1 large aubergine
2 tsp oil

2 - 2.5 tbsp regular oyster sauce or vegetarian oyster sauce
2 - 3 tsp favourite chilli sauce
0.5 tsp cornflour (cornstarch) mixed with 1/3 cup water
a little chopped spring onion for garnish
about 1 tbsp crispy fried garlic and shallot in oil


Method:

1. Cut the aubergine into 5 - 6cm long and 2 - 3 cm thick. Rub some oil onto the aubergine.
2. Pile the aubergine onto a plate or steamer and steamed till soft and tender.
   
3. Remove as much juice as you can see. Using a fork or spoon lightly mash the aubergine so it can absorb the sauce better.
   
4. Mix oyster sauce, chilli sauce and slackened cornflour. Heat this sauce till thickened. Pour sauce over the cooked aubergine. Drizzle with crunchy garlic and shallot in oil. Then sprinkle on some chopped spring onion.

To make the crunchy garlic and shallot in oil. Chopped 2 - 3 large cloves of garlic and 1 -2 shallots. Heat few tbsp of oil in a pan till hot, add garlic and shallot, fry at medium low heat till golden and not burnt. If the garlic and shallot is getting a bit too brown too quickly, heat off and add in some cold oil. This crunchy bit fragrant oil can keep for about a week still fresh and crunchy.