Steamed Aubergine With Spring Onion And Garlic

• 300g Chinese aubergines or regular aubergines
• 1 teaspoon salt

Spring Onion and Garlic Dressing

• 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon granulated sugar
• 1 teaspoon Chiu Chow chilli oil
• 1 teaspoon sesame oil
• 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped spring onion
• 1 tablespoon finely chopped coriander

• Peel the aubergines and slice them into 2cm x 5cm thick sticks (roughly thumb-size pieces), put them in a bowl with the salt and cover with cold water.

• Mix the dressing ingredients together in a bowl or small ramekin until the sugar is fully dissolved.

• Drain the aubergine slices and lay them onto a large plate that will fit in your wok.

• Set the wok up with a steamer stand and fill with boiling water to a third of the way up the sides. Place the aubergine plate into the wok, cover with a lid and steam for 10–12 minutes, or until the aubergine is tender.

• Remove the plate from the steamer, pour the dressing over the aubergine and mix together lightly.

TIP: To test whether the aubergine is cooked through, insert a fork into one of the pieces. If the fork goes straight through without any trouble, then the aubergine is ready to serve.