Oil-blanched Vegetables with Mint

Vegetables, also Vegetarian Foods

Oil-blanched Vegetables with Mint
Ingredients:
2 cups vegetable oil
1 Tablespoon cornstarch
5 thin Asian eggplants (about two pounds), roll-cut into two-inch pieces
1 green pepper, seeded and angle cut to two-inch pieces
1 large onion, cut into two-inch wedges
1 cup Asian basil, leaves pulled off the stems
6 cloves garlic, peeled and each one lightly smashed
1 fresh hot pepper, seeded and minced
2 Tablespoons oyster sauce
1/4 teaspoon Hakka garlic-chili sauce (see its recipe)
1/4 teaspoon sesame oil
Preparation:
1. Heat vegetable oil.
2. Dust cornstarch on the eggplant and put them in the hot oil for two minutes, remove and drain.
3. Reheat the oil and oil-blanch the green pepper and the onion pieces for one minute, then drain.
4. Reheat the oil and fry basil for twenty seconds until crisp, remove and drain. Discard all but one teaspoon of the oil.
5. Reheat remaining oil, fry garlic and hot pepper pieces for half minute, then add oyster and chili sauces and the eggplant, green pepper, and the onion pieces and stir-fry for one minute, remove to a serving bowl and pour sesame oil over them.

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