Chinese Eggplants (Aubergine) With Black Bean Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 tablespoon canola oil
4 tablespoons gingerroot (peeled and minced)
2 garlic cloves (minced)
3 green onions (separate whites and green, and slice thinly)
salt and pepper (to taste)
2 tablespoons fermented black beans (these are not black beans, they're fermented soy beans available at Asian markets)
1 small onion (chopped)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar, seasoned (or regular vinegar with 1/2 teaspoon of sugar)
2 small Japanese eggplants (cut 1/2-inch thick on the bias)
1/2 teaspoon red pepper flakes (optional)
soy sauce (to taste)

Preparation

Heat saucepan on medium high. Add oil, hot but not smoky.
Add minced ginger root, garlic, white part of green onion and salt and pepper. Cook to soften.
Add fermented black beans, smash with spoon and mix into ginger, garlic, onion mixture.
Add chopped onion, cook to soften 2 minutes.
Add oyster sauce and rice vinegar, mix well.
Add eggplants and mix well.
Add red pepper flakes, if using.
Cook until eggplants and onion are well done.
Taste and add soy sauce, if needed.
Garnish with green part of onions.
Serve with sauce over white rice.