Chicken With Chinese Eggplant

Total Time: 3 hrs 15 mins Preparation Time: 3 hrs Cook Time: 15 mins

Ingredients

• Servings: 4
• 1/2 lb boneless skinless chicken breast, sliced thin and cut into strips
• 1 teaspoon dried shrimp
• 2 tablespoons sherry wine (shaoxing cooking wine)
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• 1 large onion
• 2 medium eggplants
• 1 teaspoon hot sauce (sriracha)
• 1/2 tablespoon dark soy sauce
• 1/2 tablespoon light soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon rice wine vinegar
• 1 teaspoon artificial sweetener or 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon tomato paste
• 4 teaspoons light olive oil or 4 teaspoons peanut oil, divided
• 1/2 cup chicken stock

Recipe

• 1 brine chicken for 1-3 hours in solution of 2 cups water, 1/4 cup kosher salt and 1/4 cup sugar.
• 2 soak dried shrimp in sherry for 1-3 hours.
• 3 meanwhile, halve eggplant then slice halves radially into 4 slices per half.
• 4 and then into smaller pieces.
• 5 spread on cooling racks over the sink or cookie sheets.
• 6 sprinkle with salt and weight down with heavy cutting board.
• 7 let drain for one hour or more.
• 8 quarter and slice onion, set aside.
• 9 mince garlic, set aside.
• 10 drain chicken and pat dry.
• 11 strain shrimp out of sherry and discard shrimp (reserve sherry).
• 12 combine sherry, hot sauce, dark soy sauce,light soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, splenda and tomato paste and whisk together.
• 13 add half of oil to wok and heat over high heat.
• 14 add chicken and cook about 1/2 way (but browned on all sides).
• 15 remove to a plate.
• 16 add remaining oil and allow to come to temperature.
• 17 add onions, stir fry for about 1 minute.
• 18 add eggplant, stir fry for about 5 minutes.
• 19 replace chicken in wok.
• 20 add sauce and stir fry until done.
• 21 serve with brown rice.