There are far too many tasty dishes around the world to be listed here in a single article. But, I was curious to find out what the most palatable cuisines are based on the continent. As it turns out, even breaking the world up into continents doesn’t cover the variety of the most delicious cuisines around the world.
So, the only way to avoid an endless list of deliciousness and delectability from every corner of the world is to pick one from each continent that could properly represent that continent in particular. In this article, I will discover the most delicious dish in Asia!
The Continent of Asia
Asia is without a doubt the largest and most populated continent in the world. The human population of the continent is more than 4.400 billion people. Asia is the origin of some of the very best food in the world. Their dishes are so beloved that we have countless Asian restaurants that cook and sell Americanized versions of Asian food all over the United States. In my research on Asian cuisine, I found that the list of popular meals is quite impressive. One meal, in particular, seemed to have a bit more attention than others. Chinese eggplant and minced pork!
Chinese eggplant and minced pork is also served with a delicious garlic sauce. This specific Asian dish is originally from the Asian country of China. The recipe can be made with the minced pork to add an extra aspect of flavor or can be made without it for vegetarian and vegan consumers.
The ingredients for Chinese eggplant and minced pork with garlic sauce are as follows (thanks to a recipe by Elaine on www.chinasichuanfood.com):
- 2 long Asian Eggplants
- Pinch of salt
- ¼ cup of minced pork
- 1 teaspoon of minced ginger
- ½ tablespoon of Chinese cooking wine
- 3 tablespoons of cooking oil (divided)
- 2 garlic cloves, sliced
- 1 thumb of ginger, sliced
- 2 green onions (white and green halves divided)
- ½ tablespoon doubanjiang (spicy ingredient, skip for a milder flavor, double for extreme heat)
- 1 tablespoon light soy sauce
- ⅛ teaspoon sugar
- ½ teaspoon of sesame oil
To make the Chinese eggplant and minced pork with garlic sauce recipe, follow the directions below:
- Cut off the ends of the eggplants and then chop the large portion of eggplant into smaller cubes. Leave the skin of the eggplant on for extra flavor.
- Put the cubed eggplant into a large pot of water, add salt and allow to soak for 10 minutes
- Drain completely and set aside
- Marinate the minced pork with minced ginger, salt, and cooking wine. Set aside
- Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in the wok and fry the eggplant cubes for 6-9 minutes.
- Carefully remove the eggplant while leaving the oil in the pan
- Stir-fry the minced pork next, until white in color.
- Transfer the pork out
- Reheat about 1 tablespoon of cooking oil in the wok and fry green onion white parts, garlic, ginger, and doubanjiang (if you’re using it)
- Add the eggplant, minced pork, soy sauce, sugar, and sesame oil. Mix well
- Top with green onion halves and put steamed rice on the side
*Elaine from www.chinasichuanfood.com recommends adding cornstarch to the eggplant to keep them from absorbing too much of the oil.
Fun Fact!
In my research, I found the words “Chinese eggplant” used several times. I decided to take it upon myself to find out if there was a difference between regular eggplant and Chinese eggplant. It seems that the eggplant that is likely found in grocery stores around the United States is not Chinese eggplant, but rather globe eggplant. Globe eggplant will have a thicker skin and more seeds than the Chinese eggplant. The globe eggplant will also add more flavor to the dish than a typical Chinese eggplant. So, either type of eggplant can be used in this recipe, but the Chinese eggplant is likely more true to the original.
Recipe sources from www.chinasichuanfood.com
