1.5 pounds Chinese or Japanese eggplants, cut into strips
4 Tbsp peanut oil
3 cloves garlic, minced
1 inch piece of ginger, peeled & minced
3 green onions, sliced
3 Tbsp sake wine
1 Tbsp rice vinegar
2 Tbsp soy sauce
2 Tbsp hot bean sauce
1 Tbsp cornstarch
water
Optional: Place eggplants in a sieve and sprinle generously with salt. Let stand 30 minutes. Rinse them off and pat dry thoroughly.
Heat oil in pan. Fry garlic, ginger, and scallions until scallions begin to soften. Add eggplant and fry until just beginning to brown. Stir in remaining ingredients and reduce heat to simmer. Add water as necessary to keep the ingredients from sticking to the pan. Simmer 5-10 minutes until eggplant is cooked, stirring frequently. Turn heat to high and boil until the sauce is reduced. Serve over rice.