Mapo Tofu - But Not As We Know It

Adapted from Not Quite Nigella's Iron Chef Chen's Recipe

Serves 4-5

2 large eggplants cut into 1cm dice

500g minced lamb

A small handful dried shitake mushrooms, reconstituted in boiling water for 10 minutes then sliced into small pieces

Vegetable oil

Spicy paste mixture:

2 tablespoon Chinese chilli bean sauce

2 tablespoons Chinese ground bean sauce

1 tablespoon fermented black beans, finely chopped

Stock mixture:

2 teaspoons chilli sesame oil

1 ½ cups chicken stock

2 tablespoons dry sherry

2 teaspoons light soy sauce

To finish:

3 tablespoons cornflour mixed with 3 tablespoons cold water

1 -2 tablespoon Szechuan pepper, toasted

Boiled white rice to serve

Fry the eggplant in a hot wok with some oil until it’s going brown and softening.  While it’s cooking combine the chilli bean sauce, ground bean sauce and chopped fermented black beans. In a jug combine the stock, sesame chilli oil, sherry and soy sauce and set aside.

When the eggplant is done remove from the wok and set aside.  Re-heat the wok on high and add 1 tablespoon of oil and swirl to coat the pan. Add the lamb and brown, stirring to ensure there are no lumps.  You may have to pour off some oil/water once it’s done as lamb can be quite fatty. Then add the spicy bean paste above and cook for 1 minute.

Add the stock mixture as well as the eggplant and shitake mushrooms. Stir fry for 1-2 minutes.

Turn down the heat and add the cornflour combined with the water and stir until thickened. Stir through the Szechuan pepper and serve with white rice.