There were two motivations behind the plate I made today. The first was the wonderful spicy, garlic aubergine I had at the take-out Chinese in Hawley and the fact that when I went back a couple of days later it wasn’t as spicy and on the third visit they were completely out of aubergine. This was not the tragedy it could have been because I make spicy aubergine all the time 😉
My second motivation was that I wanted to try some of the artisanal pasta produced by Northern Farmhouse Pasta in Sullivan County, Roscoe, New York. We’re just across the Delaware river from Sullivan County, so I regard anything coming from there as “local”.
In the meantime, our son requested that I make Haitian chiquetaille from the Christmas holidays which I was happy to do. And here are my ugly jar pictures that I have a tendency to take. I repacked the jars with the intention of trying for better photos but by that time I had fallen out of love and couldn’t be bothered 🙁
Still, this was a good batch of chiquetaille and I’m sure our son will be pleased.
Anyway. I wanted some of the pale green, Thai aubergine like they had at the Chinese restaurant but I couldn’t find any. Shockingly the Wegmans in Scranton, the supposed end all, be all in supermarkets, had the ugliest aubergines that I have seen since West Africa with big unsightly, rotting splotches on the skin. People please! Of course I didn’t buy them but went back to the Super Duper in Honesdale; they’re not famous but they had decent aubergine.
Aubergine/eggplant is just good! This time I made the recipe with a bit more sauce to soak into the pasta because normally I serve this as a self contained Asian lunch dish.
I ate some plain for lunch anyway 🙂 It was spicy and good!
Note: If you’d prefer spicy aubergine for babies, half the amount of sriracha.
Spicy Aubergine with Pasta
2 large, regular aubergine
Salt
7 tbsp peanut oil
1/4 cup Sriracha chili garlic sauce
1/4 cup soy sauce
1/4 cup rice vinegar
1/4 cup sake
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp sugar
1 cup chicken broth
1 tbsp corn starch
1 lb ground veal
4 or 5 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch fresh ginger, minced
1lb cooked pasta
Scallions, sliced
Cut the aubergines in half vertically, then cut the halves vertically again into 4 strips each. Chaos cut the strips into chunks, sprinkle with salt and set aside in a colander to drain. Pat dry with paper towels.
Mix together the chili garlic sauce, soy sauce, vinegar, sake, sesame oil and sugar. Set aside. Mix together the chicken broth and cornstarch. Set aside.
Heat 3 tbsp oil in a wok, add half the eggplant and cook until it begins to brown. Remove. Add another 3 tbsp oil to the wok and cook the other half of the eggplant. Remove. Add the last tbsp of oil to the wok with the veal, garlic and ginger. Stir fry for about 1-2 minutes or until the veal is no longer pink.
Return the eggplant to the wok along with the chilli mixture, bring to a boil, cover and simmer for about 5 minutes. Remove the wok cover and stir in the cornstarch mixture and continue to cook until the sauce thickens.
Ladle the sauce over the cooked pasta, sprinkle the sliced scallions on top and eat immediately.
That sounds great and just the sort of antidote to Christmas food I’d want after the big feast. I like the look of the chiquetaille too 😉
Thanks Mad. The chiquetaille is definitely worth the effort.
It’s my kind of thing, so I should try it 🙂
I guess I’m probably a baby because I use sriracha by the tablespoons but I’m sure your aubergine was delicious. 😀
Baby 😀
Yes, I believe I am. 😀
seems delicious!
Thank you.
I’ve got aubergines waiting to be used…no Sriracha…but plenty of garlic and good hot chillies….and pasta…have a very good Christmas…say hi to Jade from Jenny and I:)
Thank you Roger. Fresh, hot chillies sound fantastic.
Very lovely recipes today. Will you have space/time to grow a wee vege garden this spring? Aubergines are so easy to grow which always makes me smile as they are SO much better fresh from the plant and so often are overpriced and ick when you buy them. Hope you can have a garden this coming year. c
Thank you c. I have a lot of space for a garden and do intend for my husband to plant herbs. I’ll ask him about the aubergines 😀
Ooh I’ll be making this. Love the addition of siracha.
Thank you Virginia. Aubergines are super compatible with garlic and chilli.
I agree!
This aubergine and veal pasta is seriously all I am craving right now. Good thing I have all the ingredients on hand so I can make the recipe!
Thank you Thalia and Bon appetit!
The eggplant looks great, but what I’d really like to try is some of that chiquetaille!
Michelle, you definitely NEED the chiquetaille 🙂 Merry Christmas!
Rosemary I love this recipe! I adore eggplant and Sriracha. I’m definitely adding this to my list of new recipes to make. Always looking for a new way to prepare eggplant. 🙂 Wishing you a very Merry Christmas!
Merry Christmas Karista!
Now it’s past the dinner hour here and your photos are making me hungry! Wonderful looking dish, I love eggplant in any form! Wishing you and yours a lovely Christmas holiday!xx
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