Ground Pork and Eggplant in Oyster Sauce

My daughters are vegetable loving kids...and I may say that they enjoy their veggies as much as they enjoy desserts. Both of them love most of the vegetables I use at home on regular basis like spinach, lettuce, broccoli, cauliflower, carrots, green beans and squash...but when it comes to eggplant, their attitude towards it really differs! The eldest says she hates eggplant while the youngest will eat it anyway I cook it...but whenever this Ground Pork and Eggplant in Oyster Sauce is on the table, both of them just couldn't resist. This is one of the two eggplant dishes they really love and enjoy eating...the other one is Eggplant Parmesan which I will share with you one of these days. ^.^

I remember Ground Pork and Eggplant in Oyster Sauce to be a favorite eggplant dish of mine back in the Philippines. My late mom loved cooking it because it's a very easy-to-prepare dish which requires very few ingredients. With just ground pork, eggplant, garlic and oyster sauce, you can already have a yummy and healthy "ulam"(viand) ready in about 30 minutes. The other ingredients in the recipe below are my addition which makes this dish even yummier and appealing to my family's taste buds. 

Hope you'll try and like it as much as we do. My daughter who says she hates eggplant loves this a lot...so I suggest you really give it a try! 


Ingredients:

• 1 lb ground pork (beef will also do)
• 2 lbs eggplant, sliced anyway you want it
• 2 Tbsp olive oil
• 6 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 small onion, thinly sliced
• 4 Tbsp oyster sauce
• 3 Tsbp fermented black beans
• 1 tsp brown sugar
• 1 pc Jalapeño pepper, sliced into rings
• 3 stalks green onions, bias-sliced
• salt and pepper to taste

Instructions:

1. In a skillet over medium heat, saute garlic in olive oil until light brown. Add onion and saute until almost translucent. Add ground pork and saute until there is no more red color showing. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes or until pork is tender.

2. Remove cover and add oyster sauce, black beans and eggplant. Stir until well combined. Cover and simmer for about 20 minutes or until eggplant is cooked. Season with salt and pepper to suit your taste. Add sugar and Jalapeño pepper. Stir and continue cooking for 3 more minutes. Add green onions and cook for a minute more.

3. Remove from heat. Serve with hot rice.