Spicy Garlic Eggplant
Ingredients
- 1lb [450g] japanese eggplant,
- 2oz [65g] firm tofu, pressed and mashed
- 6 dried chilis, boiled to soften then chopped
- 1 tablespoon finely minced ginger
- 3 cloves garlic, finely minced
- a handful of chopped green onions
- oil for cooking
- salt to taste
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 tablespoon Chenkiang vinegar
- 1 tablespoon Michiu or vegetable broth
- 3/4 cup water with 1 teaspoon cornstarch
Preparation
Prepare the eggplant, cut into 2” chunks, and shallow pan fry for a minute
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil and add in the mashed tofu. Pan-fry tofu until golden brown, then push to the side of the pan.
Add another swirl of oil in the pan, and sauté chili, ginger, and garlic until aromatic, about 1 minute.
Place in the partially cooked eggplant and season with soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, michiu, and give it a quick toss to combine.
Gradually add in the water with cornstarch then stir to mix all the ingredients together and let the mixture simmer until the sauce is thickened and eggplant is fork-tender. Season with more salt or soy sauce if needed. Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm with a bowl of your favorite cooked grain.