Christine over at a thinking stomach has asked for this recipe – and from one teacher to another, I know she’ll appreciate a timely response. I hope she’s not disappointed that it’s not a vegetarian dish.
I flattered by the request, but I’m also a little unsure about posting this recipe as I have never had a written recipe for this dish. This dish was simply cooked for me a couple times by my ex-husband’s second wife (did you follow that? I was his third wife… good grief. Shouldn’t I have known better?) She was born and raised in the Philippines, so I consider this dish authentic.
And besides, posting a recipe will keep me from divulging Bella’s teenage drama in Yucca Valley with a sophomore who’s pursuing her.
This dish is fast and easy. We make it often.
Jowee’s Filipino Eggplant with Green OnionsÂ
2 eggplants
ground pork (ground turkey works just as well)
1-2 bunches green onions (leeks are good too)
soy sauce
2 lemons
a little oil for frying
1. Prepare the eggplant by peeling it and slicing it into matchsticks at least as long as your forefinger. (I don’t always peel eggplant, but because of the length of the eggplant matchsticks, the skin turns into long raggedy strips that catch in your teeth.)
2. Prepare the green onions by mincing the green bits at a sharp diagonal. When you have about five inches of white bulb left, cut lengthwise once. Then pressing an onion half down flat, slice the half into as many thin strips as you can manage. The overall goal is for all the main ingredients to be in long thin strips.
3. Saute the ground pork (or turkey or TVP) until cooked. Add the green onions and saute lightly until limp. Put the pork and green onions aside in a bowl and wipe out the frying pan.
4. Saute the eggplant separately. Remember, eggplant absorbs a lot of oil, so use a high quality olive oil. When the eggplant is soft and limp, add the pork and onions.
5. Add soy sauce – enough to make it a slightly saucy. At this point, I generally add about 1/2 cup of water as well. If you want a thicker sauce, you might mix in a tablespoon of cornstarch here. Cook and mix for 5 minutes.
6. When the ingredients are thoroughly mixed, turn off the heat and add lemon juice. Depending on the size of the lemons and your preference for tartness, you may need 1-3 lemons. I usually like at least two.
7. Serve over rice.