Hunan Egg-plant

Hunan Egglant (or Hunan Whatever)
1 tablespoon canola or peanut oil
1 pound Japanese egglant, unpeeled, cut into 1 inch pieces
1/2 teaspoon canola or peanut oil
4 cloves garlic minced
1 tablespoon chilli paste (like for Thai food, available at Jay International)
1 1/2 teaspoons minced fresh gingerroot
1/2 cup chicken broth
1 tablespoon soy sauce
2 teaspoons sugar
2 teaspoons sake, mirin, or dry sherry (optional)
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
2 tablespoons chopped green onions
1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

Heat one tablespoon oil in wok. Add egglant and stirfry until soft (about 3 minutes). Remove and set aside. Add 1/2 teaspoon oil to wok and stirfry garlic, chilli paste, and gingerroot for about 15 seconds over medium heat. Add broth, soy sauce, and sugar (and sake if using). Bring to a boil. Add vinegar and eggplant and cook until eggplant has aborbed most of the sauce (about 1 min.). Add green onion and sesame oil and toss well.

This recipe is better than the Hunan stuff at most Chinese restaurants. Although this is already an easy recipe, I often make it much easier by just using garlic/ginger paste, chilli paste, soy sauce, and water (instead of broth). Often I don't both to really measure these things, either. The taste is not quite as subtle that way but still really really good. And I usually make this with chicken or tofu and whatever vegetables I happen to have. It's the best with eggplant, though, since the eggplant really soaks up the delicious sauce.