Thai Pork and Basil Stir Fry

I'm lucky enough to live quite close to a huge, sprawling Asian market, the kind where thick bunches of herbs are stacked almost to the ceiling and you can pick up bunches of them for a fraction of the price of a supermarket. The kind of place where, if you time your visit right and arrive shortly before closing, you'll be treated to a cacophany of shouted bargains and touted deals, picking up a kilo of pork belly for $8 or an entire tray of mangoes with change from a fiver. I try to head there around once a month to stock up on all my favourite things. I love cooking food with a south-east Asian flair, and this was one of my Sunday night creations when I wanted something delicious and I wanted it quick!

Serves 4

Prep: 10 minutes

Cook: 20 minutes

Ingredients

Olive oil

3 Japanese eggplants, diced into 2cm cubes

1kg pork mince

4 cloves garlic, crushed

2 long red chillies, sliced

5cm knob ginger, peeled and finely chopped

2 large Asian shallots, diced

1 bunch Thai basil, leaves picked

1/2 cup oyster sauce

2 tbsp soy sauce

2 tbsp fish sauce

2 tsp caster sugar

Steamed rice, to serve

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 200C.

2. Toss the eggplant in olive oil and spread out on a roasting tray. Roast for 15 minutes or until soft. If you do this step first it means your eggplant will have a lovely silky texture and take on more of the flavours of the stir fry!

3. Next, combine the oyster, soy and fish sauces along with the caster sugar, and stir until it comes together and the sugar has dissolved.

4. Heat oil in a large wok. Add the garlic, ginger, red chili and shallot and cook, stirring, for around 3 minutes.

5. Add the pork mince and cook, breaking it up with the back of a wooden spoon, until the pork is browned and mostly cooked through.

6. Add in the roasted eggplant and toss it through until just combined.

7. Pour in your lovely sauce and mix everything together. Take it off the heat.

8. Add in the Thai basil leaves (retain some for a pretty garnish!) and toss through. Divide between plates, top with some small Thai basil leaves and serve with steamed rice. So easy!