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Hakka-style eggplant with prawn filling

Australian Gourmet Traveller Chinese recipe for Hakka-style eggplant with prawn filling.

By Tony Tan
  • 20 mins preparation
  • 20 mins cooking
  • Serves 6
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Hakka-style eggplant with prawn filling
"A southern Chinese delicacy, stuffed vegetable and tofu dishes are very popular with the Hakka people. Traditionally, Asian eggplant is stuffed with a filling made with prawns and pork but I've just used prawns. Use large Japanese eggplant if available."

Ingredients

  • 3 Japanese eggplant
  • For dusting: cornflour
  • For shallow-frying: vegetable oil
  • To serve: thinly sliced spring onion
Prawn stuffing
  • 300 gm green prawn meat
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 20 ml Shaoxing wine
  • 1 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 1 tsp finely chopped ginger
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion
Oyster dipping sauce
  • 165 ml (¾ cup) oyster sauce
  • 60 ml (¼ cup) lime juice
  • 2 garlic cloves, finely chopped

Method

  • 1
    For prawn stuffing, process all ingredients except spring onion in a food processor to a coarse paste (1-2 minutes), transfer to a bowl, add spring onion and mix well to combine. Cover, refrigerate until required.
  • 2
    For oyster dipping sauce, combine ingredients in a bowl and set aside.
  • 3
    Slice eggplant diagonally into 2cm-thick pieces, then halve each piece horizontally, without cutting all the way through, to make a pocket for stuffing. Spoon ½ tbsp prawn stuffing into each eggplant pocket, pressing to spread prawn stuffing evenly. Dust eggplant with cornflour, shaking off excess, and season with sea salt.
  • 4
    Heat oil in a deep-sided frying pan or wok over medium-high heat until hot. Shallow-fry eggplant in batches, turning occasionally, until eggplant is tender and golden and prawn stuffing is cooked through (5-6 minutes). Drain on absorbent paper and serve hot with oyster dipping sauce.