Mine bouille and rougaille (egg noodles, tomato and ginger sauce)

Ingredients

• canola oil, for frying, plus extra for drizzling
• 500 g medium diced globe eggplant
• 100 g eschallot, thinly sliced
• 50 g ginger, julienned
• 1 scud green chilli, sliced in half lengthways
• 6 sprigs thyme
• 1.5 kg tomatoes, roughly chopped
• salt, to season
• soy sauce, to season, plus extra for the noodles
• 500 g fresh egg noodles
• rice vinegar, for drizzling
• 3 spring onions, thinly sliced

Instructions

1. Heat a generous drizzle of canola oil in a wok or large saucepan over high heat. Add the eggplant and sauté, until browned and caramelised. Remove from the pan and set aside and add another drizzle of oil.
2. Fry the eschallot, ginger, chilli and thyme over high heat until slightly softened. Add the tomatoes and season with salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes, or until the tomatoes have released their liquid into the pan. Reduce the heat to a simmer.
3. Return the eggplant to the sauce and continue to simmer and reduce for a further 5-7 minutes. Season the sauce with salt and soy sauce to taste.
4. While the sauce is cooking, cook the egg noodles according to the package instructions, then drain and toss with a drizzle of canola oil, soy sauce and rice vinegar.
5. Divide the dressed noodles between plates and top with the eggplant sauce. Sprinkle with spring onion.

Note

• For best results, use very ripe tomatoes for this recipe. Diced beef can be used as an alternative to eggplant.

Photography by Jiwon Kim.

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