BO LING'S STUFFED EGGPLANT IN BLACK BEAN SAUCE

Steps:

• Rinse eggplant and dry.
• Diagonally slice the eggplant into 11/2-inch thick slices. (This will create diagonally sliced, round discs).
• With the tip of a knife, slice a pocket into each piece, slicing parallel to the surface and slicing only about 3/4 of the way through each slice.
• Each eggplant disc now has an opening for the shrimp stuffing.
• Chop shrimp into pieces about the size of corn kernels.
• Place shrimp in a bowl and season with salt and pepper; mix until shrimp becomes sticky, about 4 minutes.
• Using a table knife, stuff about 1 to 2 teaspoons shrimp mixture into the pocket in each eggplant slice.
• Dip knife into cold water between stuffing to smooth shrimp filling (This step could take 15 to 20 minutes).
• Pour 1 cup oil into a large skillet and heat over medium-high heat.
• Pan-fry stuffed eggplant until brown on both sides.
• (Eggplant absorbs oil like a sponge; add additional oil if pan becomes dry or eggplant will not brown).
• When brown, remove from pan and set aside to drain.
• Pour 1 tablespoon oil into a hot wok.
• Add black bean, garlic and ginger; stir-fry until ingredients become a light brown.
• Add 1 1/2 cups water, sugar, soy sauce and wine.
• Stir together cornstarch with 1/2 cup water, mixing until well-dissolved.
• Slowly pour cornstarch mixture into wok, stirring constantly.
• Cook, stirring, until mixture has the consistency of syrup.
• Stir in sesame seed oil, then remove from heat.
• Dip each eggplant piece in sauce to coat well, then place each piece on a small, heatproof plate.
• Place plate in steamer and steam over boiling water 12 to 15 minutes.
• Serve warm.