DISHES for Dad

Host a five-course Asian-themed feast that'll bowl him over

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Chinese braised pork & eggplant with chilli

SERVES 8 AS PART OF A BANQUET PREP + COOK TIME 45 MINUTES

¼ cup (60ml) peanut oil 8 (800g) finger eggplants, halved lengthways 500g minced pork 2 tablespoons brown sugar 1 tablespoon fresh ginger, finely grated 3 garlic cloves, crushed 1 teaspoon cumin seeds 2 tablespoons chilli bean paste ¼ cup (60ml) chicken stock ¼ cup (60ml) Chinese cooking wine (shao hsing) ¼ cup (60ml) light soy sauce ¼ cup (60ml) Chinese black vinegar ¼ cup (60ml) water 400g thin fresh egg noodles 300g green beans, trimmed, halved 2 spring onions, sliced thinly ½ cup fresh coriander leaves

1 Heat 1 tablespoon of the peanut oil in a large, deep frying pan over medium-high heat. Cook half the eggplant for 1 minute each side or until golden. Transfer to a plate. Repeat with another 1 tablespoon peanut oil and remaining eggplant. Transfer to plate.

2 Heat remaining peanut oil in same pan. Cook pork for 7 minutes or until golden. Add sugar, ginger, garlic, cumin seeds and chilli bean paste. Cook, stirring, for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add stock, cooking wine, soy sauce, vinegar and water, stirring gently to combine. Cook, covered, on low heat, for 15 minutes. Return eggplant to pan and cook for 15 minutes or until pork and eggplant are cooked and sauce has thickened slightly.

3 Cook noodles in a large saucepan of boiling water for 2 minutes. Add beans and cook for 2 minutes or until tender. Drain well.

4 Serve pork and eggplant mixture on noodles with beans. Top with spring onion and coriander leaves.

Smashed cucumber salad

SERVES 8

PREP + COOK TIME 15 MINUTES

2 telegraph cucumbers

3 spring onions, sliced thinly