When I saw a display of large, plum, richly colored eggplants at the grocery store for $1 each, I couldn't resist bagging up a few handfuls of this beautiful vegetable. And after sampling some in a quick stir-fry without the salting process, I had the good fortune of finding out that these were not as bitter as previous experiences (maybe because it's a winter crop, or maybe because it's a new hybrid?), and they actually absorb more of the flavors from the sauce because of that. Made a dish with haebee sambal, the other with black bean sauce and the last one as a stir fry with beef and other veggies. These were made on different days, of course.

I used the last of the haebee chili sambal that was made by
Ioyces' mom that I brought back from Singapore, so it was a quick easy stir-fry.

This was another quick stir-fry using fermented black beans from Hong Kong that were crushed in some chicken broth, oyster sauce, cornstarch and water and added after the eggplant was half-cooked.

And I used the remaining ones in a salmon fish curry with long beans, peas, corn, and you guessed it, eggplant. That's enough eggplant to last me for awhile...
For my friend Isa, I have also tried it this way, and this recipe is adapted from Chef Sam Choy.
Spicy Eggplant with Pork
4 Tbs cooking oil
1 clove elephant garlic, crushed
1 inch ginger, crushed
2 shallots, sliced thinly
1 chili pepper, seeded
1/2 lb minced pork
5 long eggplants, cut diagonally and
soaked in water (used 2 jumbo ones)
2 red bell peppers
2 stalks green onions, cut into 11/2 inch lengths
2 white onions
SAUCE:
2 Tbs shoyu
2 Tbs red miso paste
3 Tbs brown sugar
1 1/2 Tbs sake or sherry
Heat large pan to medium. Add oil. Fry
garlic, ginger, shallots and chili pepper for 1 minute.
Remove from pan. Reserve oil.
Add minced pork to pan and brown.
Pat dry eggplant; add to cooked minced pork.
Cook covered until eggplant is half done.
Add bell peppers and onions.
Mix sauce ingredients. Pour sauce over
chicken mixture.
Cook over medium heat until liquid
is almost evaporated.
Serve immediately with rice.