eggplant with hot garlic sauce
Picture
Finally, a fairly successful eggplant photograph. My children tell me the rest of them make the eggplant look like slugs.

A great, weekday-fast, one-pan meal.

Eggplant tends to soak up a lot of oil, so I use as little to start and add slowly as necessary.
2-3 Japanese or Chinese eggplants, cut into strips or
1 Italian eggplant, cut into bite-sized pieces

1-2 thin-cut boneless pork chops, cubed small
3 cloves of garlic, finely chopped
2-3T shoyu
2t sugar
2t white (American) vinegar
About 1/2 t red pepper flakes
2t cornstarch
Canola or vegetable oil
Shot of sesame oil
Mix together garlic, shoyu, sugar, vinegar, red pepper flakes and cornstarch in a small bowl. Heat some oil in a wok or frying pan. Add canola oil with a shot of sesame oil and swirl it thoroughly. Cook eggplant in oil until it is soft and turning brown, but not burnt. Do not crowd them, and cook in bunches if necessary. Add canola oil as needed as all the eggplant cooks. Drain the cooked eggplant on paper towels. 

Add pork to the pan and cook until just done.

Dump in the sauce into the pan and toss the pork and eggplant until everything is heated. Eat with hot rice.