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1
Salt the aubergine chunks generously and leave for 20 minutes. Squeeze firmly in a clean cloth or between your palms until they yield no further liquid. The flesh should feel dense and leathery rather than wet.
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2
Heat the oil in a wok or deep pan to frying temperature. Add the potato wedges and fry until the exterior is golden and the cut faces show a firm, lightly coloured crust. Lift out and drain. They should resist slight pressure — crisp outside, cooked through.
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3
In the same oil, fry the squeezed aubergine pieces until they are deeply golden and have collapsed to a silky, yielding softness — press one piece; it should offer no resistance. Lift out and drain.
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4
Raise the heat briefly. Add the green pepper pieces and fry for no more than 30–40 seconds, just until the skin blisters lightly and the raw edge leaves the aroma. The pepper must retain its fresh, grassy scent and bright colour. Lift out immediately.
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5
Drain all but 1 tablespoon of oil from the wok. Over high heat, fry the garlic until fragrant and just turning pale gold, then add the soy sauce, oyster sauce, sugar and vinegar. Stir once to combine into a glossy, unified sauce — this is where the dish lives or dies: the sauce must coat the back of a spoon with a lacquered sheen before the vegetables go in; a thin, pale liquid will leave the dish flat and under-seasoned.
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6
Add the potato, aubergine and green pepper to the wok. Turn gently — two or three broad movements only — until every piece is lacquered in the sauce. The three vegetables must remain distinct. Plate immediately; the dish does not hold.