Spicy (or Not) Chinese Eggplant
Joy
Give your eggplant a kick with Chinese flavors and serve with brown rice noodle and tofu for a complete dish.
Prep Time 25 minutes mins
Cook Time 30 minutes mins
Course Main Course
Cuisine Chinese
- 2 eggplants about 7-8 inches each
- 2 Tbsp cornstarch
- 1 tsp sesame oil
Spicy (or Not) Chinese Sauce
- 3 cloves garlic pressed or chopped finely
- 2 tsp ginger fresh grated or use 1/2 tsp ground
- 1/4 cup Braggs Liquid Aminos or soy sauce or low sodium soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp chili garlic paste This is spicy! Use more or less depending on your heat tolerance or omit.
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp Natural Rice Vinegar unseasoned
- 2 Tbsp Honey or pure maple syrup or brown sugar or other sweetener of choice.
Brown Rice and Tofu
- 4 oz Brown Rice Noodles you may want to double this
- 14 oz extra firm tofu organic preferred
Chop the eggplant into larger bite size pieces. Do not peel the eggplant.
Soak the eggplant pieces in a bowl of water with 1-2 tsp of salt added. Soak for about 20 min. This will draw water out of the eggplant so that it retains it's texture better when you cook it. While it is soaking you can make the sauce and cook the noodles then set them aside.
After 20 minutes, drain the eggplant and pat dry with a paper towel. Now coat with the cornstarch.
Heat up a skillet to medium high.
Add one tsp of sesame oil (or you could try water or just dry skillet) and coat the pan. Add the eggplant. I did this in two batches, so that I did not over fill my pan. Stir or flip gently just until all sides are browned, about 6-8 minutes.
Tofu
Pat the tofu as dry as you can. Cube it into about 24 pieces.
Place on parchment paper in your air fryer or in your oven. Set temperature to 400. In air fryer bake about 10 minutes. In oven it will take about 20 min.
Putting everything together.
Please leave comments below as you make this. I would not say this recipe is easy, but hopefully I have provided enough instruction and pictures. Let me know what clarification I need.
Enjoy this recipe! I loved it and cannot wait to make it again.
Happy eggplant shopping.
Keyword Brown Rice noodles, Chinese, Eggplant, plant based, recipe, tofu