Szechuan Eggplant Recipe - Sweet & Saucy

Ingredients

• 1.5 lbs Japanese eggplant (about 4 x 10 inch eggplants)
• 2 teaspoons salt
• bowl of water
• 2 tablespoons cornstarch
• 2 tablespoons peanut oil (or wok oil)
• 4 cloves garlic, rough chopped
• 2 teaspoons ginger, finely minced
• 5 dried red chilies
• 1 teaspoon Szechuan peppercorns (or sub regular peppercorns)
• 0.25 cup soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon garlic chili paste (or sub 1 teaspoon chili flakes)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 1 tablespoon Chinese cooking wine (or mirin)
• 3 tablespoons sugar (brown sugar, coconut sugar, or maple syrup)
• 0.5 teaspoon five spice
• scallions, sliced
• peanuts (optional)