1. Clean and dry the eggplants, and remove the green parts. Quarter the eggplants lengthwise and cut them into 2-inch (5cm) sticks. If you use regular eggplants, cut them into sticks as well. Combine the eggplant sticks with the salt in a bowl and let sit for about 15 minutes. Remove any water that has been collected in the bowl and dry the eggplants with kitchen paper. Add the cornstarch and mix it with the eggplant. Set aside.

2. While the eggplants sit in the bowl, prepare the next ingredients and the sauce. Clean the spring onion and cut it into very fine rings. Divide the white parts and the green parts (those are for the decoration). Peel the garlic and grate finely. Grate a piece of ginger finely to get about 1 teaspoon. Add the soy sauce, rice wine vinegar, maple syrup, and cornstarch to a small bowl and mix until no more lumps of cornstarch are visible. Set aside. This is also a good time to cook some rice.

3. Heat a large wok*, add the sesame oil and heat up – you want the oil to be quite hot. Add the drained and dried eggplant sticks and stir-fry for about 5-6 minutes or until browned and softer (but not mushy). Add the white parts of the spring onion, grated garlic, and ginger, and stir-fry with the eggplants for a minute or so until everything is fragrant. Next, add the sauce and mix everything – let cook for a moment until the sauce has thickened. Finally, add the Gochujang and mix in. Maybe start with 1-2 teaspoons and add more if you like it hot. Serve the eggplants on cooked rice and sprinkle with the green parts of the spring onion and some sesame seeds (optional).