Eggplant Adobo

Ingredients

• 1 lbeggplant, small Japanese or Italian eggplant, quartered lengthwise then cut into 2-inch pieces
• 2 tbspsugar, divided
• 1 tspsalt, plus more to taste
• 1 tspblack pepper, freshly ground; divided
• 1garlic, whole head (about 8 cloves), thinly sliced; divided
• 3 tbspvegetable oil, plus more if needed
• 4 ozground pork
• 3 tbsprice vinegar, or coconut vinegar
• 2 tbspsoy sauce
• 2 leafbay leaves
• white rice, to serve

Method

1. 1

   Toss the eggplant pieces with 1 tbsp of the sugar, the salt, and ½ tsp of the black pepper in a bowl. Leave to sit at room temperature for at least 20 minutes and up to 2 hours.

2. 2

   Add the vegetable oil and half the garlic to a medium Dutch oven or heavy pot. Cook over medium-high heat, stirring constantly, until the garlic is light golden and crisp, about 5 minutes. Remove with a slotted spoon, season lightly with salt, and set aside.

3. 3

   Add the ground pork to the same pot and break into small pieces. Season with a pinch of salt and cook undisturbed until deeply browned on the bottom, about 5 minutes. Transfer to a plate, leaving the fat in the pot.

4. 4

   Pat the eggplant dry with a kitchen towel. Working in batches, cook the eggplant in the same pot, adding more oil if needed, until lightly browned, about 3 minutes per side. Transfer to the plate with the pork.

5. 5

   Pour 1½ cups of water into the pot and scrape up any browned bits from the bottom. Add the remaining garlic, rice vinegar, soy sauce, bay leaves, the remaining 1 tsp black pepper, and the remaining 1 tbsp sugar. Bring to a simmer.

6. 6

   Return the pork and eggplant to the pot. Reduce heat to medium-low, partially cover, and simmer until the eggplant is tender and silky and the sauce has reduced by half, 20–25 minutes. Taste and adjust seasoning.

7. 7

   Top with the crispy garlic chips and serve with cooked white rice.