Put everything, except the cornstarch mixture into the pot. Bring to a boil and simmer covered for 10 minutes. Thicken the sauce with the cornstarch and serve with brown rice or Japanese soba noodles. The variations are endless. You can replace the eggplant with firm tofu cut into 1 inch cubes. This past weekend, I used a mixture of tofu and vegetarian abalone that I got in an oriental market. The peas can be replaced with any mixture of green vegetables or mushrooms. I've even used fresh spinach. Any oriental paste type condiment can substitute for the black bean Chile paste. Chile paste with sweet basil is particularly good. You can also use a little curry powder, or leave it out altogether.