Beautiful, fiber-rich eggplant. Underused in our house, but appreciated by my Dad and FHE very much. I can’t get Rice Kernel to eat it, no matter what I do to dress it up or conceal it. (When eggplant is on the menu, I do what I swear I’ll never do - cook Rice Kernel a separate dish, usually broccoli or a cucumber salad.) As for myself, eggplant needs a lot of flavor for me to enjoy (and overlook the texture!). This is a recipe the adults always appreciate. Best served with white rice, you can add some extra flavor to the rice by cooking it in chicken stock and/or coconut milk (equal parts).
Spicy Eggplant Tofu
1 tbsp chili sauce (any Asian brand you like – I’ve found some organic ones at a local Japanese market)
1 tsp sugar or honey (or more to taste)
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
1 tbsp olive oil
10 oz tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
2 tsp minced fresh garlic
3 red chiles, cored, seeded and cut into very thin slices
1 red bell pepper, cored, seeded and cut into triangles or squares
4 Asian eggplants, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
Salt or soy sauce, to taste
Additional vegetables of your choice (I used a few leaves each of bok choy and napa cabbage)
- In a bowl, mix chili sauce, sugar, and sesame oil; set aside.
- Heat tbsp olive oil in a large pan or nonstick wok over medium-high heat. Sauté tofu about 5 minutes, browning on all sides. Remove from pan.
- Reduce heat to low and add remaining tbsp olive oil, garlic, and chiles; sauté until soft, about 4 minutes. Add bell pepper and eggplant. Raise heat to medium. Stir-fry 10 minutes, flipping eggplant after 5 minutes to cook on each side. Add oyster sauce mixture; stir well. Add tofu to pan and mix. Serve with rice.
