Eggplant is one of my many favourite vegetables. My favourite way to cook it is Chinese stir-fry. In most Chinese restaurant, this dish is cooked with minced pork and eggplant. I am using minced chicken instead of pork for this gluten free version of my recipe cooked in in a sweet, mildly spicy and savoury sauce.
There are many names for eggplant, it is also known as egg fruit, aubergine, garden egg, guinea squash, brinjal and melongene. Typically it has a distinctive egg-like shape and purple colour. Eggplants are not only delicious but have numerous health and dietary benefits. They are not only exceptionally low in calories and low Glycemic Index (GI) but also high in fiber, thus aiding in healthy weight loss. Eggplants have elevated level of Vitamin B1 and copper, and a beneficial amount of vitamins B6 and K, bioflavonoids, potassium, folate, manganese and niacin. Furthermore, eggplants are rich in phytonutrients, especially nasunin found mainly in the skin, which promotes blood flow and supports brain health. Nasunin safeguards brain cells against cell membrane impairment, prevents neuro-inflammation and is believed to protect against Alzheimer’s disease and other types of dementia, plus improve memory. Additional health benefits of eggplant comprise of: stimulating cardiovascular health, cancer prevention especially colon cancer and reducing bad cholesterol. Eggplant also has both antimicrobial and antiviral substances.
Since a great deal of the valuable nutrients are found in the skin of the eggplant, so no matter what sort of dish you are preparing and cooking, best to leave the skin on. Eggplant browns and degenerates shortly after it is sliced, as a result, always slice the eggplant just before you prepare or cook it.
Ingredients
- 3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 800 g skinless and boneless chicken breast or thigh trimmed and minced
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 2 medium Truss tomatoes diced into 2cm pieces
- 2 medium size eggplants about 600g cut into rounds and then into thin strips about the size of thick potato chips
- 3 tablespoons of water
- Steamed rice to serve
For the Sauce:
- 1 tablespoon gluten free black bean sauce
- 1 tablespoon gluten free light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon gluten free sweet chilli sauce Lingham’s
- 2 tablespoons pale or medium dry sherry
For the Marinade:
- 2 tablespoon of gluten free light soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of pale or medium dry sherry
- 1 ½ teaspoons gluten free corn maize starch
- 1 teaspoon of ground white pepper
Instructions
- Combine minced chicken with marinade in a large bowl and mix well.
- Prepare and mix the sauce ingredients in a separate bowl.
- Heat up a wok with 3 tablespoons of extra virgin olive oil, add garlic and stir-fry until lightly golden on low heat.
- Then add the minced chicken and stir-fry on medium to high heat, breaking them into smaller pieces, for 3 minutes or until nearly cooked through.
- Add the eggplants and tomatoes, and stir-fry for another 3 minutes on medium to high heat. Add the sauce and stir-fry for another 3 minutes. Add 3 tablespoons of water and bring the sauce to a boil, cover with a wok lid and simmer for another 5 minutes on low heat or until eggplants are soft.
- Serve with steamed rice.
Notes
