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I could take or leave aubergiine / eggplant* until I moved to China and discovered how they use it. Now it's a favourite. Two dishes stand out.

First, 肉末茄子 (ròu mò qié zi) and then the Sichuan classic 鱼香茄子 (yú xiāng qié zi).

The first is aubergine with minced pork**, Fuchsia Dunlop has a recipe in this Guardian article.

My take on 肉末茄子 (ròu mò qié zi)

and the second is often translated as 'fish-fragrant aubergine' but contains no fish. Instead it uses the ingredients often used to accompany fish. It is vegetarian. Fuchsia Dunlop has a recipe in her 'The Food of Sichuan (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)' 

Fun fact: in Mandarin Chinese, 茄子 (qié zi) is what bad photographers ask their subjects to say, to produce the cheesy grins found in family photographs. It is the equivalent of the English 'Say cheese!'.

* As ivry fule noes, Aubergines taste much better than eggplants.

** Pork is the traditional choice, but any meat can be substituted.

I could take or leave aubergiine / eggplant* until I moved to China and discovered how they use it. Now it's a favourite. Two dishes stand out.

First, 肉末茄子 (ròu mò qié zi) and the Sichuan classic 鱼香茄子 (yú xiāng qié zi).

The first is aubergine with minced pork**, Fuchsia Dunlop has a recipe in this Guardian article.

My take on 肉末茄子 (ròu mò qié zi)

and the second is often translated as 'fish-fragrant aubergine' but contains no fish. Instead it uses the ingredients often used to accompany fish. It is vegetarian. Fuchsia Dunlop has a recipe in her 'The Food of Sichuan (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)' 

* As ivry fule noes, Aubergines taste much better than eggplants. Fun fact: in Mandarin Chinese, 茄子 (qié zi) is what bad photographers ask their subjects to say, to produce the cheesy grins found in family photographs. It is the equivalent of the English 'Say cheese!'.

** Pork is the traditional choice, but any meat can be substituted.

I could take or leave aubergiine / eggplant* until I moved to China to discovered how they use it. Now it's a favourite. Two dishes stand out.

First, 肉末茄子 (ròu mò qié zi) and the Sichuan classic 鱼香茄子 (yú xiāng qié zi).

The first is aubergine with minced pork**, Fuchsia Dunlop has a recipe in this Guardian article.

My take on 肉末茄子 (ròu mò qié zi)

and the second is often translated as 'fish-fragrant aubergine' but contains no fish. Instead it uses the ingredients often used to accompany fish. It is vegetarian. Fuchsia Dunlop has a recipe in her 'The Food of Sichuan (eG-friendly Amazon.com link)' 

* As ivry fule noes, Aubergines taste much better than eggplants. Fun fact: in Mandarin Chinese, 茄子 (qié zi) is what bad photographers ask their subjects to say, to produce the cheesy grins found in family photographs. It is the equivalent of the English 'Say cheese!'.

** Pork is the traditional choice, but any meat can be substituted.