Chinese Take-Out Eggplant in Spicy Sauce

We can't get enough of this spicy, hot eggplant dish studded with tender pork. Try to find the small Asian eggplants at your local market. They contain fewer of the seeds that tend to make eggplant bitter. From the Take-Out Menu Cookbook.

• Ready In: 40 mins
• Serves: 4-6

Ingredients

• 2  cups  peanut oil or 2  cups  vegetable oil
• 1  lb eggplant, cut into sticks the size of French fries
• 1  tablespoon soy sauce
• 1  tablespoon light brown sugar
• 1  tablespoon  spicy  bean sauce
• 1  tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1  tablespoon rice wine
• 1  teaspoon  sesame oil
• 1  teaspoon cornstarch
• 3  garlic cloves, minced (1 tablespoon)
• 1  tablespoon  chopped fresh ginger
• 4  whole  dried chilies, soaked in water for 10 minutes, dried and chopped
• 1  cup  thinly sliced  pork tenderloin
• 3  green onions, thinly sliced

Directions

1. In a wok, set over medium-high heat, heat the oil to 360º.
2. Add half the eggplant to the oil and fry for about 5 minutes or until the eggplant is limp.
3. Remove the eggplant with a slotted spoon and drain on a paper towel-lined sheet pan. Cook the remaining eggplant in the same manner.
4. In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, brown sugar, bean sauce, rice vinegar, rice wine, sesame oil, and cornstarch. Set aside.
5. Pour off all but 2 tablespoons of the oil in the wok. Add the garlic, ginger and chiles and cook 1 minute. Add the pork and stir-fry for 2 minutes. Return the eggplant to the wok. Stir the sauce and add it to the pork. Boil until the sauce thickens, about 2 minutes.
6. To serve, garnish with green onions.