Salt & Pepper Aubergine

Done in 30 minutes

Serves 4

Dish by Mia Jacobs

Ingredients

For the salt + pepper spice mix

1.5 tspsalt

1 tspground white pepper

1/2 tsptoasted Sichuan peppercorns

1/2 tspChinese 5 spice

1/4 tspground ginger

a pinchMSG

For the crispy aubergine

1 tspsalt

2aubergines, diced into large chunks

75gcornstarch

200mlvegetable oil

For the stir fry

1onion, diced into chunks

1red bell pepper, diced into chunks

4garlic cloves, minced

4spring onions, roughly sliced

2 tspShaoxing wine

To serve

1/2salt

1/4 tspwhite pepper

1/4 tspground Sichuan peppercorns

to garnishspring onion greens, finely sliced

to servesweet chilli sauce

Method

Start by grinding all the spices for the salt and pepper seasoning in a pestle and mortar or spice grinder, until you get a fine powder, then set to one side.

Place the diced aubergine in a large mixing bowl then sprinkle in a big pinch of salt and mix to coat the aubergine. Leave to sweat for 5-10 minutes then rinse, drain and thoroughly pat dry. Mix the salt + pepper spice blend into the cornstarch then tip in the aubergine and toss to coat each piece evenly.

Heat the oil in a large frying pan over a medium high heat. Once hot, add the aubergine pieces (being careful to tap off any excess flour) and fry until golden brown on the outside and soft in the middle, around 4 minutes, turning occasionally to ensure it cooks evenly on all sides. Remove and place on a plate lined with kitchen paper to soak up excess oil. You may need to do this in batches.

In a clean pan, pour in a splash of vegetable oil then, add the onions and peppers and fry until soft over a medium heat. Add the garlic followed by the spring onions and Shaoxing wine. Fry until everything is soft and starts to take on some colour. Add the cooked aubergine back into the pan and toss everything together.

Combine some more salt, white pepper and ground Sichuan peppercorns and sprinkle over the stir fried veg and aubergine. Mix everything together then serve over white rice or noodles with some spring onion greens and sweet chilli sauce.

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Mia Jacobs

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Mia is a self-taught cook with an obsession with street food and an absolute hatred for parsnips. Before joining Twisted Green, Mia founded an online vegan cooking school in the midst of the global pandemic and began teaching people all over the world how to cook incredible vegan food from the comfort of their own homes. Her mission was, and still is, to help transform kitchens everywhere from a daunting space to one that’s filled with the irresistible aroma of frying garlic, and some very special plant-based grub. She also believes that crisps and hummus are a gift to humanity.