This is a north eastern Chinese dish with eggplants, potatoes and capsicums in a flavorful sauce of roasted garlic and soy sauce with the spicy heat of chilies.
Cut 4 Japanese eggplants and 1 medium sized potatoe (after peeling) into bite sized chunks. Store both in separate bowls of water to avoid any browning effect.
Chop 1 to 2 bell peppers (just green or a mix of colors) into cubes, mince 6 large cloves of garlic and cut 1 large onion into petals or dice them.
Mix 1/4 cup dark soy sauce, 2-3 tablespoons Schezwan Chutney (or your choice of hot sauce), 2 teaspoons vinegar, 1 tablespoon jaggery powder (or your choice of sweetener), 2 teaspoons of cornstarch and 2 teaspoons sesame oil in a bowl, adjusting the taste to make for a spicy yet mildly sweet and savory sauce mixture.
Heat 3 tablespoons of any cooking oil or even sesame oil and when hot, remove the potatoes from the water and add to the hot pan.
Sauté them with a sprinkle of salt on medium heat until almost cooked and browned, stirring often.
When almost cooked and they have a nice golden brown char, remove using a slotted spoon and set aside in a plate or bowl.
Add more oil if needed to the pan and tip in the eggplant after removing from water.
Shallow fry/sauté the eggplant cubes, stirring often until again almost cooked and browned at edges.
Do this in batches and if the eggplant is fresh, it will cook in a flash and at the same time, the high temperature of the wok or saucepan will add a char to the vegetable.
Add some salt if needed. Remove using a slotted spoon and set aside.
If needed, again add 2 tablespoons oil and when hot, add the minced garlic. Fry on medium heat until starting to brown.
Stir in cubed onions and stir fry for a few minutes until it loses its color and turns translucent.
Tip in the cubed bell peppers and sauté on medium high heat for a minute or so until starting to cook yet maintaining its crunch and color. DO NOT OVERCOOK.
Add the browned potatoes and eggplants along with sauce mixture; mix well to coat and cook on medium heat, adding a sprinkle of water and salt if needed.
Heat just until all the flavors have blended and the veggies have heated through and almost cooked (but still with a bite in it); just a couple of minutes; again do not overcook.
Sprinkle roasted peanuts (optional) and roasted sesame seeds, remove from heat and serve immediately.
It is perfect with a large bowl of rice but can be a side or accompaniment to any meal!
Enjoy and Happy Cooking/Eating!