Aubergine Pork Hotpot Recipes

SPICY PORK & AUBERGINE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan with a lid. Tip in the onions and aubergine and fry for 8 minutes, stirring frequently, until soft and golden brown.
• Tip in the pork and fry for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally, until it starts to brown. Mix in the pepper strips and stir fry for about 3 minutes until soft.
• Sprinkle in the curry powder. Stir fry for a minute, then pour in the tomatoes and water. Stir vigorously, cover the pan and leave the mixture to simmer for 5 minutes until the tomatoes break down to form a thick sauce (you can add a drop more water if the mixture gets too thick). Season with salt and pepper and serve with basmati rice.

HOT POT AT HOME

Steps:

• For the pork broth: Fill a 7-quart Dutch oven with 12 cups cold water and bring to a boil. Meanwhile, soak the pork bones in cold water in a large bowl, to remove some of the blood, for about 20 minutes or until the water boils. Add the bones to the pot and boil until the water darkens and there's a lot of foam on the surface, about 8 minutes. Drain and rinse the bones and clean the pot of any residue.
• Return the pork bones to the pot and add the carrots, corn, daikon and 16 cups cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat and then reduce the heat and simmer, covered, until the broth is very milky, about 2 1/2 hours. Skim off any dark proteins and fat, then lightly season with salt.
• Transfer the pork broth, along with the bones and other solids, which will continue to flavor the broth, to an 11-inch hot pot pot with a divider. Add the chili oil to one side of the pot. Place the pot on a portable butane burner and bring to a boil over high heat.
• For the components: Meanwhile, arrange the beef, fish, cabbage, spinach, potatoes, pumpkin, eggs, fish tofu and udon noodles on plates or platters, as you like. Set out at least two pairs of chopsticks or tongs and small strainer baskets (these are useful when cooking more fragile ingredients, such as fish, tofu and the like). As for the chopsticks/tongs, let everyone know not to use the same pair for picking up raw and cooked meat and fish.
• For the condiments: Create a "dipping sauce station" with any of the condiments, along with a bunch of small plates and bowls. Each person can mix and match them as they like.
• Once the broth is boiling, start cooking! Let each person cook their own ingredients in the broth (the side with the chili oil is spicier), being mindful not to overcrowd the pot. If the broth reduces too much and you still have raw ingredients left, add some warm water to the pot and bring to a boil. If you like, you can eat the marrow from the pork bones.
• Proteins-Thinly sliced chicken, pork or lamb, mini-pork sausages, low-sodium luncheon meat cut into 1/2-inch-thick slices, shellfish, fish cakes, tofu
• Vegetables-sweet potato, kabocha squash, watercress, bok choy, corn on the cob, lotus root, kale, chile peppers, tomato, bean sprouts, enoki, shiitake or button mushrooms
• Noodles, etc.-ramen noodles, rice noodles, konjac noodle knots, dumplings, rice cakes, dried tofu sticks
• Stir together the Pork Broth, BBQ sauce, sesame paste, oyster sauce, soy sauce, hoisin sauce, sesame oil, sugar, garlic and scallions in a small bowl until combined.

SLOW-COOKED PORK, CIDER & SAGE HOTPOT

Steps:

• Heat half of the oil in a deep ovenproof frying pan, or flameproof casserole dish, and fry the pork pieces over a medium high heat in batches until seared all over, then transfer to a plate. Add another 1 tbsp oil to the pan, if you need to, while you're cooking the batches. Once all the pork is seared, transfer to a plate and set aside.
• Add another 1 tbsp oil to the pan with a little butter and fry half the leeks with a pinch of salt for 10 mins until tender. Add the garlic, fry for a minute, then stir in the flour.
• Pour in the cider, a little at a time, stirring to pick up any bits stuck to the bottom of the pan and to combine everything. Add the stock, bay leaves and seared pork, then simmer, half-covered with a lid for 1-1½ hrs until the meat is just tender (it will later cook to the point of falling apart in the oven). Can be prepared a day ahead.
• Heat the oven to 200C/180C fan/gas 6. Simmer uncovered for a few minutes to reduce the sauce, if you need to - it shouldn't be too liquid or the potatoes will sink into the sauce. Stir in the parsley, chopped sage, remaining leeks, and the cream, then season well.
• Peel both types of potatoes and cut into slices 2mm thick, by hand or using a mandoline. Alternate layers of potato and sweet potato in circles over the pie, or randomly, if you prefer. Dot the cubed butter over the top and bake for 1-1½ hrs until the potato is tender. Nestle in the whole sage leaves, brushed in a little oil, for the last 10 mins. Leave to rest for 10 mins before serving.

SPICY EGGPLANT AND PORK HOT POT

Steps:

• Heat oil in a heavy based casserole dish or saucepan over high heat.
• Cook eggplant for 4 min, stirring often.
• Place eggplant on paper towel. Then drain all but 1 tBsp oil from pan.
• Cook pork mince, chilli-garlic sauce, ginger and spring onions for 3-4 min, sitrring often.
• Combine chicken stock, soy sauce, cornflour and caster sugar in a small bowl. Add to pan with eggplant, turn heat off but don't remove the pan, and quickly stir for 2-3 min until sauce is thickened.
• Serve with steamed white rice.

PORK CHOPS WITH AUBERGINE

Steps:

• Heat the oil in a large saucepan, tip in the aubergine then fry over a medium heat for 5 mins until soft and golden. Pour in the vinegar. Once the bubbling subsides, stir in the sugar, followed by the tomatoes, basil and seasoning to taste. Stir well and cook over high heat for 5 mins, until the sauce has thickened.
• Meanwhile, heat the grill to medium and season the pork. Place the chops under the grill for 15 mins, turning halfway, until golden and cooked through. Serve the chops with the aubergines on the side.