Chinese Inspired Stir Fried Eggplant and Tofu

Ingredients:

• 1 small eggplant; cut into 1 inch thick, 2 inch long sticks

• 1 block of firm tofu; cut into 1 inch cubes

• 1 - 2 green onions; chopped and the whites and greens separated

• 1 tbsp of garlic; minced

• 1 tbsp of ginger; minced

• 2 - 4 dried Thai chilis (optional)

• 3 tbsp of chili bean sauce (I used/like this one)

• 1 1/2 tbsp of chinkiang vinegar (I used/like this one)

• 1 1/2 tbsp of oyster sauce

• 1 tbsp of Shaoxing wine

• 1/2 tsp of sesame oil

• 1/2 tsp of sugar

• Neutral oil for frying

• Cooked rice or noodles for serving

In a bowl, add your eggplant spears and sprinkle some salt over them and set aside for about 10 minutes. Remove from the bowl and pat dry with a paper towel.

In a bowl, mix together your sauce (chili bean sauce, vinegar, oyster sauce, Shaoxing wine, sesame oil, and sugar) and set aside.

In a heavy bottomed pan or pot, heat about 2 cups of neutral oil for frying. Fry your tofu and eggplant until the tofu is slightly browned and the eggplant is soft throughout and starting to brown. Do this in batches so you don’t overcrowd the pot. Pull out and set aside on a paper towel to drain the access oil.

Once your eggplant and tofu is fried, in another large pan, heat about 1 tsp of neutral oil and add in your ginger, garlic, the whites of the green onion and the Thai chilis. Fry off until fragrant.

Add in your fried tofu and eggplant and toss well. Pour in your sauce and toss again! Mix everything together so it is evenly covered in sauce.

Serve warm over rice or noodles and top with the remaining green parts of the green onion.