Directions

• Get your ingredients together.
• Cut 2 medium-sized aubergines into 2cmx5cm chunks. Add 3 tablespoons of vegetable oil to a big container together with the aubergine and mix well.
• Pre-heat your air-fryer at 200°C for 4 minutes. Put the oiled aubergine chunks in the air fryer container. Set it to 180°C for 9 mins (I stopped it 3 times to shake the aubergines). If you don’t have an air-fryer, please feel free to resort to the traditional pan fry. The reason I chose to use an air-fryer is that it is easier to manage so my hands are free to do other preparations and I don’t get oil drops all over my kitchen counter.
• While our aubergine is being cosy in the air fryer, let’s prepare the rest of the ingredients. Mince 15g of garlic, 5g of fresh ginger, and finely chop 5g of spring onion. Place them nicely on a plate with 1 tablespoon of Sichuan Pixian Red Oil Bean Paste and 1 teaspoon of Pickled chillies (if you can’t get this one from your local Chinese shop, please feel free to replace it with dried chillies).
• Cut your red bell pepper into roughly 2cmx 2cm diamond shapes and set aside.
• By now the aubergine should be almost done. Go give it a quick shake if you need. Annnnnnd, let’s make the sauce! Add 2 tablespoons of Chinese dark rice vinegar, 1 tablespoon of light soy sauce, 2 tablespoons of sugar, 1 tablespoon of corn starch, and 3 tablespoons of water in a bowl and mix well.
• Warm up your pan with high heat and add 2 teaspoons of vegetable oil. Put in the Sichuan Pixian Red Oil Bean Paste before the oil gets hot. Stir until the oil turns red, and add the pickled chillies in.
• Gently throw the chopped red bell pepper inside, stir and cook for 1 minute. Add the aubergine inside, then mix well.
• Add garlic and ginger to the mix, and let cook for 2 minutes while stirring.
• Mix the sauce again with a spoon and pour into the pan. Keep stirring until it thickens and is well mixed with all the vegetables.
• Sprinkle the spring onions on top and serve with rice! Enjoy!