Strange Flavor Eggplant

In Chinese poetry and art criticism the word kuai can mean “odd” as in downright weird, or “strange” as in fascinating and unusual. In cooking, there is no such confusion. “Strange flavor” dishes are always extraordinary—spicy, subtle, sweet, tart, and tangy all at the same time, an ineffable blend of tastes. Usually, a strange flavor sauce has sesame paste as a component and is credited with a Szech-wanese origin, but mine is clear and thin in a Shanghai mode. Instead of coating the