Sauce:
3 tbsp. light soy sauce
3 tsp. rice vinegar
2 tsp cornstarch
3 tsp. maple syrup or organic sugar
2 tsp. sesame oil
2 tsp. organic tomato puree
1 tsp. ground coriander or 5-spice powder
Ground black pepper to taste
Vegetables:
1 tbsp. sunflower oil
3 Asian eggplants, cut crosswise into 2 inch lengths and quartered
1 onion chopped into bite size pieces
1 hot pepper of your choice finely minced (or 1 tsp. chili paste/Sanbal)
2 tsp. garlic minced
2 tsp. ginger minced
1 large green or red or “whatever color you have “ Sweet Pepper, chopped
1 small can of water chestnuts (sliced thin)
½ cup of chopped fresh basil leaves
To prepare the sauce, mix in a bowl the cornstarch, vinegar, soy sauce, sugar, sesame oil, tomatoes puree and spices until well blended and set aside.
Heat a wok or deep-dish fry pan over high heat with the oil. Stir fry the onion, hot pepper, garlic and ginger till fragrant. Add eggplant, onion and sweet pepper and cook for about three minutes or until done. Stir in the water chestnuts and the sauce and stir till it thickens (about 1 minute). Serve on a warm platter and sprinkle with basil leaves.