Spicy Shanghai eggplant with soy sauce

Ingredients

• 500 g eggplant
• 1 chili pepper
• 2 garlic cloves
• 45 ml oil
• 200 ml water
• 3 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 teaspoon salt

Preparation

1. Wash the eggplant and cut it into slices about 1.5 cm thick. Wash the chili pepper, remove the seeds, then peel the garlic and slice it. 2. Heat 45 ml of oil in a frying pan over high heat. Add the chili pepper and garlic and fry for 1 minute, until the garlic starts to take on some color; remove the pepper from the pan. 3. Add the eggplant to the pan. Gradually add 150 ml of water, a tablespoon at a time, and cook for 15 minutes over high heat, until tender. As they soften, the slices become tender and glossy. 4. Mix the soy sauce, sugar, salt and 50 ml of water in a bowl until the sugar and salt dissolve. 5. Pour the sauce over the eggplant and cover the pan. Let it simmer for 5 minutes, turning the slices halfway through, until the sauce reduces and coats them with a glossy sheen. Put the chili pepper back on top of the eggplant and serve straight away.