Spicy Thai Eggplants

Have you ever tried these little cute Thai eggplants? I’m really attracted by their lovely purple colour and the round shape. They’re placed in a plastic bag and were still pale white in colour when I saw them in an Asian store. Although the price is a bit more expensive than those I get normally from supermarkets, giant in size and deep purple in colour, the little cute ones always win my heart. The Thai eggplants are commonly used in curry. But this time, I used them to cook a side dish to go with an authentic Thai dish that would follow this post later on. Thus the amount of the recipe might seem to be too small, you might like to double or even triple it as you like, and turn it as a vegan dish for a meal.

Spicy Thai Eggplants (Printable recipe)

Ingredients:

• 6 Thai eggplants, about 150 gm
• 1 tsp crushed garlic
• 1/2 red chili, sliced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1/4 cup basil
• 1/8 tsp salt

Seasoning:

• 2 tsp fish sauce
• 1 tsp light soy sauce
• 1 tsp oyster sauce
• 1 tsp brown sugar

Thickening:

• 2 tsp cornflour
• 2 Tbsp water

Method:

1. Rinse eggplants and drain well. Trim and cut into pieces. Soak in salted water for 5 to 10 minutes. Drain well.
2. Heat oil in a wok or frying pan. Saute garlic over medium heat until fragrant. Be careful and not to burn them. Add eggplants and stir well. Sprinkle salt and add water. Bring it to boil. Cover and cook until softened. It should be a bit of water left. If the water dries up while cooking, add 1 to 2 tablespoons of water accordingly.
3. Pour in seasoning and mix well. Bring it to boil again. Toss in basil and chili. Add thickening and cook to the consistency you preferred, until the sauce thickens. Serve hot.

Notes:

• The flesh of Thai eggplants is firmer than those we normally have, but the taste of the skin is not as bitter as I find in those usual kind. I’m quite like these little cute eggplants. It’s worth every cent.
• I used to follow my mother-in-law’s trick to prevent the cut sides of eggplants from turning into black. Just soak them into salty water for a while.