Sichuan chicken & aubergine

You can also use tofu, minced pork or shiitake mushrooms for this recipe instead of chicken, and serve it with steamed jasmine rice. It’s delish! SERVES 2 365 CALS PER SERVING 200g boneless chicken thighs, sliced into 1cm strips pinch of sea salt flakes pinch of ground white pepper 1 tsp cornflour 2 tbsp rapeseed oil 200g aubergine, sliced into batons 2 garlic cloves, crushed and finely chopped 2.5cm piece of fresh root ginger, peeled and grated 1 medium red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped 1 tbsp chilli bean paste or chilli bean sauce 1 tbsp Shaohsing rice wine or dry sherry 1 spring onion, finely sliced, to garnish FOR THE SAUCE 100ml cold vegetable stock 1 tbsp low-sodium light soy sauce 1 tbsp Chinkiang black rice or balsamic vinegar 1 tbsp cornflour

Place the chicken in a bowl and season with the salt, white pepper and cornflour and stir to combine.

Whisk together all the ingredients for the sauce in a jug, then set aside.

Heat a wok over a high heat and, as the wok starts to smoke, add 1 tablespoon rapeseed oil. Add the aubergine and stir-fry for 5 minutes until softened and brown. During this process, keep adding 50ml of water in small drops around the edge of the wok to create some steam to help cook and soften the aubergine. When soft and cooked, transfer to a plate and set aside.

Return the wok to the heat and add the remaining tablespoon of rapeseed oil. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli and chilli bean sauce and cook together for a few seconds. Add the chicken strips and cook for 1 minute until they start to turn brown and opaque, then season with the rice wine or dry sherry and stir-fry for 3 minutes until the chicken is cooked all the way through.

Return the aubergines to the wok, pour in the sauce and simmer on a medium heat for 3 minutes. Sprinkle the spring onion over and serve immediately.