Stir-fried Eggplant with Minced Pork (Less Oil Method)

Peel about 50% of the eggplant skin from two eggplants. Cut each eggplant into 4 segments, then slice each segment into 3 pieces, and then cut into strips. Trim off the ends.

Place the cut eggplant into a bowl. Add 1 tsp of salt and massage the eggplant for 2-3 minutes. Let it sit for 10 minutes to draw out excess water.

Rinse the eggplant under running water to remove excess salt, then squeeze out as much water as possible. The eggplant should be softened.

Prepare the aromatics: slice 5 cloves of garlic, smash and mince a 1-inch piece of ginger, separate and chop 4 stalks of spring onions (white and green parts), and chop 3 pieces of chili padi.

Heat a wok over high heat. Add 2 tbsp of cooking oil and swirl to coat the wok.

Add the minced ginger to the hot oil and stir-fry until fragrant.

Add 200g of minced pork and stir-fry until it browns and its fat renders out, creating a flavorful base.

Add the prepared eggplant to the wok. Spread it out and pan-fry for 2-3 minutes to achieve a slight char and 'wok hei' flavor.

Add the sliced garlic, chopped spring onion whites, chopped chili padi, and chopped spring onion greens to the wok. Stir-fry everything together to combine the flavors.

Season the dish with 1 tbsp oyster sauce, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tsp sugar, and 0.5 tsp white pepper. Stir-fry until the eggplant and pork are well-coated with the sauce.

Add 1/4 cup of water to create a little gravy. Simmer for another 2-3 minutes until the sauce thickens slightly and the flavors meld.

Serve the stir-fried eggplant with minced pork hot, ideally with white rice.