Enjoy this Asian-inspired eggplant dish with chicken, meat or fish, or simply serve it with steamed rice.

Cooking Time: 25 minutes

Ingredients (serves 4)

• 80ml (1/3 cup) vegetable oil
• 8 (about 700g) small Lebanese eggplants, trimmed, halved lengthways
• 1 brown onion, halved, thinly sliced
• 3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced lengthways
• 1 ripe tomato, finely chopped
• 7cm-piece fresh ginger, peeled, cut into matchsticks
• 1 tbs Sambal Oelek paste
• 125ml (1/2 cup) water
• 1 tsp finely chopped palm sugar
• Salt

Method

1. Heat 60ml (1/3 cup) of the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook, covered, for 2 minutes. Turn the eggplant and cook, covered, for a further 3 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.

2. Heat the remaining oil in the wok over medium-high heat. Add the onion and garlic and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes or until onion softens. Add the tomato, ginger and sambal oelek and stir-fry for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the water and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Taste and season with palm sugar and salt.

3. Reduce heat to medium. Add the eggplant to the tomato mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until heated through. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately.