Not in fact fishy at all, these aubergines are a perfect naughty little dinner. Complex in flavor but deliciously warming and comforting – give these ones from Fuschia Dunlop a try!
(Originally published 04/01/2024)
Prep time: 40 minutes
Cooking time: 20 minutes
Makes: 2 main servings
Ingredients
600g aubergines (roughly 2 or 3 aubergines)
salt
400ml cooking oil
1 1/2tbsp Sichuanese chilli bean paste
1tbsp ginger
1tbsp garlic
150ml stock
2tsp caster sugar
3/4tsp potato flour or cornstarch mixed with 1tbsp cold water
2tsp Chinkiang vinegar or other rice vinegar
2 spring onions
1. I’m an auber-genius!
Cut your aubergines into rough batons, pop them in a colander and sprinkle very generously with salt. Leave them for a good half an hour to drain (we didn’t do the full half hour and had major ragrets).
When the time is almost up, heat your oil until the end of a wooden spoon bubbles when put in to it. Then fry the aubergines in batches until they are golden brown, putting them on a kitchen-towel covered plate to drain.
Once the aubergines are fried, you can either empty the original pan of oil (you were supposed to use a wok, we didn’t) or simply do it the gasp way and use yet another piece of kitchen equipment, aka get a different pan. Warm 3tbsp of neutral oil in whichever vessel you have chosen.
Add in 1 1/2tbsp Sichuanese chilli bean paste stirring it around until it begins to smell fragrant. In the meantime chop or grate 1tbsp ginger and 1tbsp garlic and add these once the oil has separated out from the chilli bean paste. Stir everything together until it is FRAGRANT as the name suggests being careful not to burn anything.
Throw in the 150ml of stock and 2tsp of caster sugar and stir everything together.
Next throw in your aubergines to coat them in the lovely fragrant sauce. Once they have had a minute with the sauce to get acquainted, add in your slurry (which is 3/4tsp cornstarch mixed with 1tbsp cold water in a separate mug to form a smooth liquid) to thicken and sticken the sauce.
Lastly, add 2tsp Chinkiang vinegar and chop/snip in your 2 spring onions and stir it all together. Taste here for salt – you might want to add a pinch more or you may already get enough from the aubergine.
Dink and sink!
Food for Thought
Lizzy says: “I did, in all honesty, go through a big fish fragrant aubergine phase during the pandemic. I absolutely love the texture and the complexity of flavours. However, I had only ever made this recipe with pork mince included, but this went above and beyond that. The flavours were great and so was the texture. This is definitely make this again. 10/10.”
Kate says: “This has been on the ‘to gasp’ list for quite a while and is often something I have to eat outside. So it was thrilling to learn that this is super easy and quick to make at home. My only critque is it was slightly salty but that was probably my own fault for not leaving the aubergines long enough. The dish itself is super satisfying, sweet, salty, spicy and super comforting. An easy 10/10 gasp for me”
10/10 Gasps
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