Hue-Style Aubergine
This year we’re growing a new variety of aubergine called “Meronda” and they are great. They are supposed to be an early variety and it appears they are! That’s ideal for aubergine growing in Northern Ireland, where the main concern is a short summer season without enough sunshine to get a descent aubergine crop.
Now we have some lovely irish-grown aubergines, what should we cook! My first choice is to head to Vietnam - and a city called Hue (pronouced “hway”). It was here that a lovely women called Nina, in a her cafe, gave us all a impromptu cooking class (in exchange for writing up her recipes in English). So these are Nina’s aubergines and forever became “Hue-Style” in my head.
Serves 2
1 Aubergine
4 tablespoons sunflower oil (or more!)
3 cloves garlic, finely diced
3 teaspoon granulated sugar
2 tablespoons soy sauce
½ teaspoon Vegetable stock powder
Pinch black pepper
Pinch Chinese five spice
2 tablespoons water
1 scallion, finely sliced diagonally to garnish
Cut the aubergine in half or quarters lengthways.
Slice aubergine diagonally on skin side, but not all the way through.
Rub generously with sunflower oil and roast in a hot oven until soft. When I say generously, I mean really generously. This will make the dish delicious!
To make the sauce, add garlic, sugar, soy sauce, stock powder, black pepper, Chinese five spice and the water to a pan. Cook over a high heat until the sauce gets thick and a wee bit syrupy.
To serve, pour the sauce over the aubergine, and top with sliced scallions, chopped red chillies or Thai basil.