Happiness is . . . Eggplant in Spicy Garlic Sauce

+ Chatting with strangers + Asian groceries at the mall + Survey results

Happy 2023! I hope the year is off to a good start for you and yours. I’ve not written you for about two weeks ago so I have lots to share — including a Chinese eggplant recipe.

First up, I’ve been pondering happiness — what it is, if it’s possible to achieve. Indeed, money doesn’t buy happiness, however, genuine communication with others can positively impact our inner joy. That’s the foundation of the 7-Day happiness challenge happening at the New York Times, which draws upon research from the Harvard Study of Adult Development. Apparently, we thrive when we reinforce relationships with people we already know, sometimes check in with folks we've not seen in a while, and strike up conversations with strangers. In other words, strong relationships yield happier lives.

A few days ago, when I had computer troubles and called Costco’s Concierge service, I ended up talking to person who was working from home (at one point she apologized for her son interrupting our call). As we waited for a response from her team, I asked how she liked her job. She shared that she used to be a general manager at a Taco Bell. After providing customer service to Costco members for two years, she said, “People get angrier about their fast food than things they buy from Costco. I would have changed jobs had I known that earlier!” I felt like we connected and we were both laughing when she passed me onto someone at Apple computers.

At our local farmer’s market, I was approached by a woman who identified herself as a vegetarian fan of my book, Asian Tofu. Divya (pictured below) is Indian and resides in Sweden. She appreciated how I built flavor and texture into my vegetarian recipes and asked how to make a Viet tofu dish she liked. After offering tips, I asked about Asian ingredients in Sweden. “In Sweden, we have full coverage for healthcare and education even through university. But, we don’t have great Asian markets,” she said. Even though she was still visiting her family here in California, she already seemed wistful as if she missed them. She enjoys the many good things about Sweden, but she lacks the relationships she needs.

Loneliness kills joy. However, in-person contact isn’t required to have meaning.

Last Friday, a Vietnamese-Romanian person emailed about digital copies of my books. I took the opportunity to ask questions about the Viet food scene in Romania. They reported this morning that there are few Vietnamese restaurants in the country. I will never meet this person, but just knowing that they use my recipes gives me great satisfaction.

People say to not talk to strangers, but it can be a good for your well being.

Thank you for being part of the PTFS community. We’re over 7,200 people strong and growing! I look forward to getting to know you, in big and small ways.

A Swank 99 Ranch at the Mall

The Westfield Oakridge Mall in southwest San Jose, CA, is a relatively homey shopping place. There is no Nordstroms or Louis Vuitton. But, you will experience a low-key Nordstrom Rack, Target, and an Apple store. I went to the mall to get my Mac mini inspected and ended up lingering for over an hour at the surprisingly polished outpost of 99 Ranch, a Taiwanese-American supermarket chain. 99 Ranch has always been slightly more upscale than other Asian markets but this new one tops the upscale. Prices are normal for an Asian market but it’s the location and presentation that break though and crossover. The well-written bilingual signage and inviting open layout seems to draw in mall shoppers.

99 Ranch’s groceries lean toward Chinese and Taiwanese cooking but there was a decent selection of fresh Vietnamese herbs. There’s no meat counter but that’s alright. You can better inspect what you’re buying rather than yield to butchers who can sometimes seem impatient. The seafood counter is sizable with many live seafood tanks. The barbecue concession offers roast duck and pork. That, along with the market’s prepared food counter are a good reason to skip Panda Express in the mall’s food court.

The 99 Ranch at Oakridge Mall is super tidy. The restrooms sign was large and easy to spot — incredible.

Financial news has predicted the demise of malls for years but what if we anchored more malls with excellent grocery shopping?

Happiness found in Chinese Eggplants

Which leads me to eggplant. It’s not eggplant season but there was a big display of Chinese eggplant at 99 Ranch. I couldn’t resist, even though my local grocery stores — from Safeway to Whole Foods to indie Shopper’s Corner — carry Chinese eggplant for about $3 per pound. 99 Ranch had an irresistible deal.

With 3 1/2 pounds, I played around with making one of my favorite Chinese dishes —Yu Xiang Qiezi, aka Eggplant with Garlic Sauce. There are many renditions (I’ve spotted fish sauce in a recipe!), but I took a more Cantonese approach by using the recipe published in the new, best-selling Woks of Life cookbook by Bill, Judy, Sarah and Kaitlin Leung — the New York-based family behind the popular blog, Woks of Life. I adore their high-level energy for preserving heritage through food.

Equally appealing is the family’s realistic recipes that take into account home cooks. For example, Yu Xiang Qiezi typically involves flash frying the eggplant. The Leungs smartly sear the eggplant on high heat. They also employ their relatively tight pantry of ingredients to yield a tasty yu xiang (fish fragrance/flavor) sauce for the tender eggplant.

For the Leung’s take, oyster sauce lends umami depth. Dried chiles (I used Mexican chiles here) add fire. In other words, you can prepare the dish with easygoing ingredients (I offer my substitutes in the recipe). The result is very good and weeknight friendly. Keep reading for the recipe!

Survey Results re: Recipe Content in PTFS

When I asked if you wanted recipes in the newsletter and didn’t they cluttered things up, about 46% said they wanted them in the newsletter. The remainder were neutral or were good with clicking to go Viet World Kitchen.

With all the other information in this issue of PTSF, I’m offering the recipe below and also on Viet World Kitchen, where I’ve also included extra information — such as what is Chinese fish fragrance, eggplant selection tips, and a how-to video. If you’d like a deeper dive, head to my blog for the whole shebang on Eggplant in Garlic Sauce.

Regardless, take a minute to comment and let me know what you think!

Eggplant in Garlic Sauce Recipe

See the recipe Notes for a vegan approach. This recipe was adapted from Bill, Judy, Sarah and Kaitlin Leung’s The Woks of Life (Potter, 2022). The Leung family’s weeknight-friendly recipe serves four but my husband and I ate it all with rice and steamed broccoli.

Serves 4

• 1/8 teaspoon ground white pepper

• 1 tablespoon cornstarch

• 1 tablespoon sugar

• 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce (see Note for substitute)

• 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce

• 1 tablespoon unseasoned rice vinegar

• 1 tablespoon Shaoxing rice wine (rice wine buying guide and substitutes)

• 1 ½ tablespoons oyster sauce

• 1/2 cup water

• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil

• 2 tablespoons minced garlic

• 1 pound Chinese eggplant (3 medium)

• 4 to 6 tablespoons neutral oil, such as canola or peanut

• 4 ounces ground pork or chicken 

• 2 teaspoons minced peeled fresh ginger

• 3 dried Japones or Arbol chiles, stemmed, seeded and snipped into small pieces

• 2 green onions, white and green parts finely chopped

1. In a small bowl, combine the white pepper, cornstarch, sugar, dark soy sauce, regular soy sauce, vinegar, and rice wine. Stir to dissolve the solids. Stir in the oyster sauce, water,  sesame oil, and 1 tablespoon garlic. Set the seasoning sauce aside.

2. Peel off the stem flaps from the eggplants then trim the ends. Cut each eggplant on an angle, rotating it with each cut to yield triangular bite-size chunks. 

3. Heat a large wok (or skillet) over medium-high heat until hot. Pour in 1 1/2 tablespoons oil around the perimeter to evenly coat. Working in batches as needed, add the eggplant in a single layer, lower the heat to medium, and cook for 3 to 4 minutes, flipping and stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is lightly browned. Pour another 1 tablespoon oil around the perimeter and continue cooking as a single layer for 4 minutes, stirring occasionally, until evenly seared, soft and slightly translucent. Transfer to a plate. As needed, repeat the frying to cook any remaining raw eggplant. 

4. Increase the heat to high and add 1 1/2 tablespoons oil to the wok. Add the pork and cook until opaque, breaking it up into small bits as you go. Add the ginger, dried chiles, and remaining 1 tablespoon of garlic. Cook for 1 to 2 minutes, stirring constantly, until the aromatics are fragrant. 

5. Put the eggplant back into the wok and stir-fry until combined. Re-stir the seasoning sauce then add to the wok. Mix well and bring to a simmer, cooking until the sauce is just thick enough to coat as spoon. Stir in the green onion, then remove from the heat. Transfer to a serving dish or shallow bowl and serve immediately. 

RECIPE NOTES

Ingredients: No dark soy sauce? Use regular soy. The dark soy sauce adds rich color but you’ll be ok if you don’t have it.
Timing: Fry the eggplant hours or a day in advance, refrigerate if keeping overnight. Always return the eggplant to room temperature to finish cooking with the pork and sauce.
Equipment: Instead of a wok, cook in a large (12-inch) skillet to fry the eggplant in 1 batch. Before adding the sauce, lower the heat to medium-high to slow cooking down. 
Variation:  For a vegan take, substitute 6 ounces coarsely chopped fresh mushroom (white, cremini or shiitake) for the pork. Season it with a little salt or splash of soy sauce while you cook it.