Spicy Beef and Eggplant – Sybaritica

Spicy Beef and Eggplant is a hearty home-style dish that pairs strips of tender Beef with batons of Eggplant in an umami-rich and fiery Chili Bean Paste.

Servings: 4 as one dish in a Chinese meal

• 1 lb. Beefsteak sliced across the grain in strips;
• ½ tsp. Garlic Salt;
• 1 Tbsp. Cornstarch;
• 1 ½ Tbsp. Vegetable Oil;
• ¼ cup Chili Bean Paste;
• 1 tsp. Chili Paste or more or less to taste;
• 1 tbsp. Sugar;
• 4 tbsp. Rice Wine;
• 3 Scallions cut in 2-inch lengths;
• 2 small slender Asian Eggplants; cut into 2-inch batons.

• Toss the beef with the salt and cornstarch, stir in the oil to coat the pieces, and set aside for an hour or so.
• Mix the Bean sauce, chili, sugar and rice wine together in a bowl and set aside.
• Deep-fry the beef at a moderate heat until just browned.
• Heat a couple of tablespoons of oil in a pan over high heat, throw in the scallion followed by the eggplant, and stir rapidly, letting the eggplant pieces blister and darken here and there.
• Add in the beef, followed by the sauce mix and cook for a little longer until the sauce reduces slightly.