Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons chicken broth
• 1 tablespoon hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 teaspoons Chinese black vinegar
• 2 teaspoons plum sauce
• 4 Chinese eggplants (about 1 pound), stems removed
• Vegetable oil, for deep-frying
• 2 teaspoons minced garlic
• 1 teaspoon minced ginger
• 4 dried whole chile peppers
• 2 green onions, cut into 2-inch lengths
• 1/4 pound ground pork
• Chopped cilantro leaves or sliced green onions

Instructions

1. Sauce:
2. Combine sauce ingredients in a small bowl; mix well.
3. With a vegetable peeler, remove 1-inch strips of the eggplant skin, leaving a 1-inch strip of skin in between. Cut the eggplant into fourths lengthwise, then cut each section crosswise into 3-inch pieces.
4. Pour enough oil into a 2-quart saucepan to fill 3 inches. Heat over medium heat to 350 degrees F. Deep-fry the eggplant batches until golden brown, about 3 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon and drain well on paper towels.
5. Place wok over a high heat until hot. Add 1 tablespoon of deep-frying oil and swirl to coat the sides. Add the garlic, ginger, dried chiles and green onion; cook, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add ground meat and cook, breaking up pieces with back of a spoon, until brown and crumbly. Add the sauce and bring to a simmer. Add the cooked eggplant and stir to coat. Scoop onto a warm serving platter. Serve, garnished with cilantro or green onions.