Chinese-Style Steamed Spicy Aubergines

Name: Chinese-Style Steamed Spicy Aubergines
Ingredients: 8 slender, fingers like aubergines; 1 tsp. salt; 2 tbsp. oil; 1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped; 1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated; 2 fat or 4 small garlic cloves, peeled and crushed/chopped (optional); 2-3 green chillies, chopped; 2 tsp. curry powder; Salt to taste (1/2 tsp. or less)

Steamed Baingan (Brinjal) with Spicy Topping

Mamta Gupta

Easy Free From Tomato Indian Main Vegan Vegetarian

This is a very simple recipe, based on a similar Chinese dish made by my friend John Young, where he uses fried dried shrimps as one of the ingredients for the topping.

Serves 3-4.

Ingredients

8 slender, fingers like aubergines
1 tsp. salt
2 tbsp. oil
1 medium onion, peeled and finely chopped
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled and grated
2 fat or 4 small garlic cloves, peeled and crushed/chopped (optional)
2-3 green chillies, chopped
2 tsp. curry powder
Salt to taste (1/2 tsp. or less)

Instructions

Wash aubergines and trim, but not remove, stalks.
Slice through the entire length of each aubergine twice, in a cross, leaving the stalks intact.
Place aubergines in a microwave steamer and cook on full for 6 minutes. Drain and keep aside. You can steam them in a cooker top steamer, if you prefer, but I find microwave, it is so much easier!
Heat oil in a wok or pan and stir-fry onion, ginger, garlic and green chillies, until onion is medium brown (not burnt but not light/golden brown either).
Add curry powder and salt, stir fry for 30-40 seconds and pour over the aubergines. Spread gently, to ensure that each aubergine has a little of the topping.
Serve hot with an Indian meal or with pitta bread or Naan as a snack.