Silky braised aubergine in a sweet, sour and savoury 'fish-fragrant' sauce — a Sichuan flavour style built from pickled chilli and no fish at all, named for the seasoning traditionally used with fish. A staple vegetable dish on any Sichuan table.
Salt the aubergine
Toss the aubergine batons with the salt and let them sit in a colander for fifteen minutes to draw out excess moisture, then pat dry.
Mix the sauce
In a small bowl, stir together the light soy sauce, sugar, black vinegar and cornstarch slurry, and set aside.
Fry the aubergine
Heat the oil in a wok over high heat until it shimmers and just starts to smoke, then add the aubergine and fry for six minutes, turning often, until softened and lightly browned all over.
6 minFry the chilli paste
Push the aubergine to one side, add the pickled chilli paste, garlic, ginger and white spring onion, and stir-fry for one minute until fragrant.
1 minBraise briefly
Pour in the stock, stir everything together, and simmer for three minutes so the aubergine fully softens and takes on the sauce.
3 minThicken and finish
Stir in the sauce mixture and toss for one minute until it thickens and clings to the aubergine, then scatter over the green spring onion and serve.
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