Silky steamed eggplant, hot mala beef, a handful of crunch on top. One plate, big flavour, no fuss. Weeknight dinner that tastes like Sunday effort.
Method
- Prep the eggplant. Rinse and dry it. Cut it in half lengthways. Lay the halves flat side up on a cutting board. With a sharp knife, score diagonal lines into the flesh, cutting about two thirds through. Do not cut all the way to the skin. (Alternative: slice the whole eggplant into long strips about 2-3 cm thick.) Scoring helps the eggplant cook evenly and lets the sauce soak in later.
- Steam the eggplant. Place it on a heatproof plate that fits into your steamer basket or wok. Bring water to a rolling boil underneath. Steam for 5 to 8 minutes, until the flesh is tender and gives easily when you poke it with a fork. Smaller eggplants take 5 minutes, bigger ones take 8. Set aside while you cook the beef.
- Prep the aromatics. Peel the garlic and ginger, then mince both finely. Trim the stems off the shiitake and finely chop the caps.
- Heat the frying pan or wok on medium-high heat. Add the mala hot pot base and let it melt and sizzle for about 30 seconds. It will go fragrant and deep red.
- Add the minced ginger and garlic. Stir for 10 seconds. Do not let them burn.
- Add the minced beef. Break it up with a wooden spoon or spatula and stir-fry for 3 to 4 minutes until it loses its pink colour.
- Add the chopped shiitake. Keep stir-frying for another 3 to 4 minutes until the mushrooms soften and the beef is cooked through.
- Season with the light soy sauce, a pinch of salt, and a few grinds of black pepper. Taste, and adjust.
- Spoon the hot beef mixture generously over the steamed eggplant. Return the plate to the steamer and steam for another 5 minutes to heat everything through and let the flavours mingle.
- Finish. Drizzle the thick soy sauce over the top in a thin stream. Scatter chopped coriander across. Crush a generous amount of Ambry's Mala Crunch Cubes over the whole plate. Serve hot with steamed rice on the side. (Or skip the carbs and make this your main dish)
Beginner Tips
- 250g of beef is generous for one eggplant. If you want to feed 2 or 3 people as a main, use 2 or 3 eggplants and keep the beef mixture as it is. The mala beef is the hero and there is always a happy use for leftovers (over rice, over noodles, or scrambled into eggs the next morning).
- Mala hot pot base comes in different brands and spice levels. Start with 50g, taste the beef mixture, and add a small spoonful more if you want more heat.
- "Thick soy sauce" is darker and syrupy, not watery. If you only have regular soy sauce at home, mix 1 teaspoon of soy with a quarter teaspoon of brown sugar as a swap.
- "Mince" means chop very small. You can also grate garlic and ginger on a microplane if you have one.
- Add the Ambry's Mala Crunch Cubes only at the very end so they stay crisp.
Pairings
A big bowl of steamed jasmine rice. A side of cold cucumber with garlic and vinegar. A cold beer or barley tea.
Good to Know
Can I use pork or chicken instead of beef?
Yes. Minced pork is the classic Sichuan swap and works beautifully. Minced chicken is lighter but works too. Cooking time stays about the same, maybe a minute shorter.