Di San Xian

Cut the potato, eggplant and pepper into 2–3 cm chunks; mince the garlic. Rinse surface starch from the potato and dry thoroughly. Dry the pepper too. Keep the eggplant skin on and cook soon after cutting.

Mix 2 tbsp light soy sauce, ½ tbsp sugar, 1 tsp starch and 3 tbsp water. Reserve the remaining 2 tsp starch for the eggplant.

Heat enough oil in a wok for small batches to move freely, over medium heat. A dried potato test piece should bubble steadily without the oil smoking. Fry in batches, turning, until golden and a chopstick passes easily through the center. Lift out and drain; keep frying if the center is firm.

Toss the eggplant with the remaining 2 tsp starch just before frying. Let the oil recover its heat, then fry in batches, turning, until lightly golden and tender inside with no firm white center. Lift out and drain. Remove the wok from the heat if the oil smokes.

Briefly fry the dried pepper chunks in the hot oil for about 10 seconds. Lift out and drain while still bright green and crisp-tender.

Turn off the heat and carefully ladle excess frying oil into a heatproof container, leaving only a thin film in the wok. Cook all the garlic over low heat until fragrant, without browning. Re-stir the sauce from Step 2, pour it in and stir until bubbling and lightly thickened.

Return the drained potato, eggplant and pepper. Turn to high heat and fold gently until coated in a thin glossy glaze with no watery pool. Turn off the heat and plate immediately; avoid prolonged stirring that breaks the eggplant.