Eggplant Stir-Fry with Thai Basil (Pad Makeua Yao)

August 19, 2016

Eggplant Stir-Fry with Thai Basil (Pad Makeua Yao) © kvalifood.com

Pad makeua yao is a Thai stir-fry where eggplant is the star. The pieces get briefly deep-fried first, which keeps the skin vibrant and gives the flesh a head start on cooking. Then they are tossed with ground pork, garlic, chilies, and a savoury sauce built on fermented soybean paste. Thai basil goes in at the end and ties the whole thing together. Serve with jasmine rice.

Ingredients

Serves 3-4

The sauce

125 ml chicken stock, pork stock, (or water)
2 Tbsp fermented soybean paste (tao jiew)
1 Tbsp oyster sauce
2 tsp soy sauce
2 tsp fish sauce
1/4 tsp white pepper

The stir-fry

As needed vegetable oil for deep-frying
400 g Chinese (or Japanese eggplants), cut into 5 cm cylinders, then quartered lengthwise
3-4 cloves garlic, chopped
2-5 Thai chilies, finely chopped
250 g ground pork
1 Tbsp sugar, granulated
125 ml red bell pepper, julienned
3 ½ dl Thai basil
Jasmine rice, for serving

Directions

Make the sauce by combining 1/4 cup of the stock with the fermented soybean paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, fish sauce, and white pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. Reserve the remaining stock.

Add about 1 inch of oil to a wok or pot and heat to 350°F (177°C) over medium-high heat. Fry the eggplant pieces in small batches for 20-30 seconds each. Remove and drain on paper towel. The eggplant should still be quite firm at this point - do not fry longer than 30 seconds or it will absorb too much oil.

Heat 1 Tbsp of oil in a wok or large saute pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and Thai chilies and stir until the garlic starts to brown. Add the ground pork and break it apart, cooking until about 60% done.

Add the sauce mixture and the sugar. Stir and cook the pork to about 90% done - there should be plenty of liquid in the pan. If it looks dry, add some or all of the remaining stock.

Add the eggplant and bell pepper. Keep tossing until the eggplant is fully cooked but still holds its shape. Turn off the heat and fold in the Thai basil. Taste and adjust the seasoning.

Transfer to a deep plate and serve with jasmine rice.

Notes

Takes about 25 minutes.

The sauce can be made in advance and stored in the fridge.

Choose young, small eggplants that feel firm when squeezed with tight-looking skin. When cut open, young eggplants have small, light-coloured seeds or no visible seeds at all.

To test eggplant for doneness, press on a piece - it should give in easily but bounce back. If your eggplants are larger than 2 inches in diameter, cut the cylinders into six pieces instead of four.

You can substitute 1 Tbsp of miso paste (loosened with a little water) for the fermented soybean paste.

To make this vegetarian, leave out the ground pork or substitute crumbled firm tofu.

You can skip the deep-frying step, but the eggplant skin will turn grey and the texture may end up mushier. Add the raw eggplant with extra stock and stir frequently, adding more stock as needed.