Chinese Eggplant - with gluten free sweet spicy sauce

You will love this delicious Chinese Eggplant dish, and yes, it is the same one you eat at the restaurant. The one you can’t stop thinking about. This is a super delicious,10 min quick stir fry where eggplant pieces are coated with sticky sweet and spicy chilly garlic sauce. 
This vegan and gluten-free eggplant will become an instant favorite at the dinner table. It is super fast and takes 10 min cook time and, when served with rice, makes for a perfect weeknight dinner. 

How to make chinese eggplant:

It starts with cutting the eggplant into bite-sized pieces. Cut at a diagonal, so each piece is like a small rectangle about an inch thick at its thickest end. I also take all the seeds out (if using a thick conventional eggplant). If you are using Japanese eggplant, you don't have to worry about the seed as much. Try to get them roughly the same size for even cooking. Cut a wedge, then turn the eggplant, cut again and turn.

Stir-Frying is an art, and it requires constant adjustments to the heat to yield the best results. Make sure your eggplant is cut as instructed. It significantly impacts the final dish and the soaking up of flavors, not to mention the eating pleasure. For a Chinese stir-fry, I like to slice all ingredients thinly and at an angle. More surface area for the sauces to stick to and thinner slices to ensure that the ingredients are cooked in a short amount of time.
                        

I love this Chinese Eggplant recipe because the eggplant is deliciously caramelized with crispy charred edges – the best texture!
Worth every minute you spend browning those sides.
And YES, it is pretty addictive!

Ingredients

For the eggplant 
2 tablespoons olive oil
2-3 long red chilli, 
4 garlic cloves, minced
1-inch ginger piece, thinly sliced and julienned
1 large eggplant (500-600g) cut into long, angled slices 

Sticky sweet and spicy sauce 
1/4 cup maple syrup
1/2 cup gluten free tamari sauce ( san J- brand ) 
1/2 teaspoon sesame seeds
1/4 teaspoon ground black pepper
1/2 ginger powder 
1/4 tea spoon garlic powder 
1/4 tea spoon red chilly powder 
1 tablespoon cornstarch mixed in 1/2 cup water ( keep it separately from the rest of ingredients) 

 Garnish :: 
sesame seeds for garnish
1/2 cup sliced spring onion ( green part only )

Directions

1.Make the sauce first :: Add all the ingredients in a pan except corn starch mixture and cook for 2-3 minutes on low heat. 

2. Add the cornstarch water mixture and cook for 2 more minutes . Set aside 

3. Now the eggplant 🍆 

4. Heat a medium wok on medium-high heat.

5. Add olive oil . Add chilli, ginger. Stir-fry for a few seconds until starting to turn golden

6. Add eggplant and increase heat too high.    Stir-fry tossing constantly for approximately 1 minute until eggplant is thoroughly coated in oil and starting to char.

7. Add the prepared sauce.

8. Mix well and stir-fry for a few seconds

9. Cover the wok with a lid. Reduce heat to medium and cook for 7-8 minutes.

10.Remove from heat and spoon into a serving dish.

11.Add spring onion to the eggplant in the serving dish and garnish with sesame seeds and serve hot with steamed rice. 

Enjoy !!