Preserved egg chili pepper eggplant, a local specialty dish originating from Hunan, combines the unique elasticity of preserved eggs, the warmth of chili peppers and the softness of eggplant, showing the typical flavor of Hunan cuisine with spicy and fresh fragrance. It is said that in the Ming and Qing dynasties, in order to make full use of the rich output of their own vegetable gardens, farmers in Huxiang creatively combined eggplant, preserved eggs and chili peppers, and made their flavors deeply blended through the way of "beating", thus giving birth to this folk delicacy that has been handed down to this day. The pounding techniques mentioned in the ancient book "Suiyuan Food List" also show the exploration and love of the ancient people in the mainland for the mixing and matching of ingredients and cooking skills.
**COOKING STEPS**
1. **Prepare Materials**
- Long eggplant (500g), choose fresh eggplant with plump flesh and bright color.
- Preserved eggs (2 pieces, about 150g in total), choose high-quality pine preserved eggs.
- Millet pepper (10 grams), adjust the spiciness according to taste.
- Garlic cloves (3 cloves, about 15g), minced and set aside.
- Cooking oil (30ml), light soy sauce (20ml), vinegar (10ml), sugar (5g), salt (to taste).
2. **Food Handling**
- Step 1: Wash the eggplant and cut it into long strips, sprinkle a little salt and marinate for 15 minutes to remove astringency, then squeeze out the excess water.
- Step 2: Peel the preserved eggs and cut them into cubes, and cut the millet peppers into rings for later use.
3. **Steamed eggplant**
- Step 3: Place the eggplant on a steaming tray and steam for 10 minutes over high heat until fully cooked.
4. **Sauce Preparation**
- Step 4: Pour cooking oil into the pot, add minced garlic and stir-fry until fragrant, then add millet pepper and stir-fry slightly, then add light soy sauce, vinegar, sugar and an appropriate amount of water to boil into a sauce.
5. **Mixing Mix**
- Step 5: Steam, let the eggplant cool, put it in a bowl with the diced preserved eggs, add the boiled sauce, and pound vigorously with a wooden stick to fully integrate the eggplant and the preserved eggs.
6. **Serve and enjoy**
- Step 6: Put the eggplant preserved eggs on a plate, and sprinkle with chopped green onions according to your personal preference, which will become a unique flavor of preserved eggs and chili eggplant.
In the process of twisting the eggplant, the fiber structure of the eggplant can be broken through physical extrusion, which is easier to absorb the flavor of the seasoning, and at the same time contrast with the smooth and tender taste of the preserved egg. Eggplants cooked at high temperatures are more likely to release starch, which is combined with the beating action to make the whole dish more delicate and rich. The spicy chili pepper stimulates the taste buds and adds depth to the overall dish.
**Precautions**
- Cook the eggplant for just the right amount of time, too short to be too ripe and too soft to rot.
- Rub the eggplant with moderate pressure to make it soft and maintain its shape.
- If you don't like the fishy smell of preserved eggs, you can boil them in water before steaming them, or add cooking wine to remove the fishiness.
Preserved eggs, chili peppers and eggplants can also be used together to make a variety of delicacies such as "preserved egg eggplant pot" and "steamed eggplant with chopped pepper". For example, preserved eggs can be simmered with eggplant to make soups, and chili peppers can be used in a variety of cooking methods, such as stir-fried eggplant and stuffed eggplant.
**TIPS**
- During the making process, if there is no bowl, you can also use a grocery bag or plastic film to wrap the eggplant and preserved eggs, and rub them with the palm of your hand to make them blend.
- After marinating the eggplant to remove astringency, you can use a kitchen paper towel to gently absorb the excess water to prevent too much water from affecting the taste during frying.
Meticulously crafted, this dish presents a deep and enticing picture of purple eggplant, white and clear preserved eggs, and bright red millet pepper rings. In the mouth, the denseness of eggplant, the Q bomb of preserved eggs, and the spicy aroma of chili peppers are intertwined, like a symphony of taste buds. The ears seem to echo with the calm rhythm of pounding the ingredients, and the subtle touch of the changes of the ingredients in the hands makes people immerse themselves in the simplicity and enthusiasm from the land of Hunan. By learning and practicing this dish of preserved egg and chili eggplant, I believe that your cooking skills will also be improved to the next level, and at the same time enjoy the unique charm brought by Hunan cuisine.