Braised Eggplant with Pork and Basil
I love Asian eggplant dishes. They’re rich, savory, and saucy - often served in a sizzling claypot in Chinese restaurants. I love the vibrant purple color and it’s creamy texture. The first bite is always blazing hot as the eggplant is traditionally deep-fried and then stir-fried in a lusciously savory sauce. It’s also high in fiber, vitamins, and minerals - optimal for digestion and disease prevention based on this recent study.
This version is not deep-fried, but instead braised. It still yields a very custard-y bite of eggplant, and borrows signature Thai flavors that really make the dish sing. You can easily swap the pork out for beef, chicken, or crumbled up tofu, and play around with the herbs and spice level. Salt and high heat help maintain the eggplant’s true color - so don’t skip that step!
I also like to use a cast iron pan since it chars meat and vegetables a little more aggressively, and color means flavor! Cast irons are also great for cooking if you’re iron deficient - it naturally adds iron to your dishes in the cooking process. Plus, they’re chemical free and non-toxic, but you can read all about that here. The article links to a couple of studies testing iron content from cooking with cast iron and also breaks down the chemicals used to manufacture non-stick cookware. Womp womp.
This eggplant and pork dish is undeniably cozy and comforting, and passed the taste test with my guinea pig husband with flying colors. This dish is free of gluten, dairy, and soy - no oyster sauce is used and the coconut aminos and fish sauce provide a salty, sweet, and umami punch. I hope you love it as must as we do!
BRAISED EGGPLANT WITH MINCED PORK
Makes 4 servings
INGREDIENTS
2 Chinese eggplants, cut into 3”strips, 1/2” thick
1/3 pound of minced pork
2 garlic cloves, finely chopped
2 red chilis, finely chopped
1/2 Tbsp fish sauce
1 Tbsp water OR cooking wine like Shaoxing or dry sherry
2 Tbsp coconut aminos
1 cup Thai basil
1 tsp sea salt
1 Tbsp avocado oil
METHOD
Heat a wok or cast iron pan on high and pour in avocado oil when pan is hot, swirling to coat evenly.
Add in the minced pork and spread out onto the pan evenly, breaking it apart into smaller bits. Allow the pork to brown and crisp up in the pan for 2-3 minutes, and then flip the meat to crisp up on the other side for another 2-3 minutes.
Reduce the heat to medium and add in the garlic, chili, fish sauce, and coconut aminos to deglaze the pan and flavor the meat. Stir to combine.
Quickly add in the eggplant pieces and sprinkle the salt all over. Saute for about 30s to 1 minute to get a bit of a sear on the eggplant. Try to maneuver the pork on top of the eggplant pieces so that the eggplant has direct contact with the hot pan. Add in the water or wine and cover the pan and simmer for 4-6 minutes.
Remove the pan from the heat and fold in the basil and give the mixture a good stir to ensure the sauce coats all elements evenly. Transfer to a tall serving bowl and enjoy!