Spicy Eggplant

1/2 lb of ground pork or  chicken
3 large Japanese eggplant, cut into 3 inch long wedges like cucumber spears
8-10 cloves ginger, minced
3 inch knob ginger, julienne
Water or stock
2 Tbsp corn or wheat starch and 2 Tbsp water, stir to make slurry

Sauce:
1 Tbsp chili sauce
5 tsp soy sauce
1 Tbsp hoisin sauce
2 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 tsp sugar
2 stem green onion, chopped


Combine all the sauce ingredients and set aside.  Heat up pan with oil.  When the oil is hot, add the ginger and garlic.  Stir until fragrant.  Add the ground protein and brown until the pink is gone.  Add the sauce and combine well.  Drop in the eggplant, add enough water or stock to cover the eggplant mixture, and the cornstarch slurry.  Allow for it to simmer on medium heat until the eggplant is translucent. 

This can be made vegetarian by substituting the ground meat for tofu and woodear/black fungus mushrooms.