This version of “fish flavored” or garlic sauce is the one I learned from Chef Huy Khuu who used to own a restaurant in Huntington called China Garden. He has since retired, which is why I feel it is okay for me to publish his recipe–when the restaurant was still open, I kept his secret to myself. His secret is the black rice vinegar mixed with white rice vinegar. Most recipes use one or the other, not both, but his–his is the best. The Shao Hsing wine also gives it an amazing depth of flavor.

We were over at a friend’s the other day and he sliced those long eggplants lengthwise and soaked them in coconut milk then grilled them before making a salad. He said he learned that when he was in Thailand (he lived there a couple of years). It was marvelous.

Your Sichuan beef and green bean dry stir-fry has become one of my all-time favorite dishes, so I am more than willing to try this. I just wish I’d seen it before went to the farmer’s market this morning, where Japanese eggplant and green beans are abundant. Ah, well – next week, for sure!!