5-6 Chinese eggplants (about 750g), quartered lengthwise and cut into 3" pieces.
8 tbsp neutral cooking oil like rice bran oil or canola oil
30 gram tamarind paste
50g palm sugar or brown sugar
1.5 cups water
Method
As you cut eggplants, soak them in cold water that has been sprinkled with plenty of salt to prevent them from turning brown.
Spice paste
Blend all the spice paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth.
Eggplant
Heat cooking oil (8 tbsp) in a wok or wide frypan on high heat. Pat dry eggplants. When the oil is hot, fry for about 2 minutes to bring out the color (eggplants should sizzle when they hit the pan. If they don't, wait for oil to heat more). Drain over a wire rack to remove excess oil, and set aside.
Remove all but 1 tbsp oil from the pan. Heat the oil and stir fry the spice paste until fragrant, about 2-3 minutes.
Add tamarind paste (30g), sugar (50g), and water (1.5 cups). Boil for about 2-3 minutes.
Toss in the fried eggplants and boil again for another 2 minutes. Remove from heat and serve with steamed white rice.