Jan 6, 2009

Spicy Eggplant & Tofu With Garlic Sauce


I'm fortunate to be living relatively near Asian supermarkets, where I could probably spend all day looking in wonderment at all of the exotic ingredients that remind me of my childhood. As a 2nd-generation Asian, I don't make Asian food all the time, but still crave the flavors pretty often. Today, I made this dish using a black bean & garlic paste that may be found in regular supermarkets on the "Ethnic" isle if you're not close to any Asian markets. It is a blend of soy sauce, black beans, garlic, a little sugar and ginger. This is wonderful over rice, but I opted to put it over a bed of Korean vermicelli, which is a translucent noodle made of sweet potatoes... cool, huh?

1 T. oil
1 C. onions, chopped
3 C. eggplant, chopped
4 cloves of garlic, minced
1 pkg. extra firm tofu, drained & cubed
3 T. soy sauce
3 T. black bean paste
1 T. hoisin sauce (should be more common in supermarkets)
1 T. red pepper flakes (adjust amount to your liking)
2 T. sugar
2 C. water + a little more to mix with cornstarch
1 1/2 T. cornstarch
3 green onions, sliced

Spinz:

Mix together the soy sauce, bean paste, hoisin, pepper flakes, and sugar in a small bowl. Saute the onions in the oil on high heat for a bit until just turning brown. Stir, and if it looks too dry, add a few tablespoons of water to help it along. Add eggplant, garlic, and pre-mixed sauce and stir to coat. Mix in 2 cups of water and let simmer. In a small bowl or cup, put in the cornstarch (first), then add a little water to dissolve. Add this to the mix to thicken it up. Lastly, add the green onions.

5 comments:

  1. I can never spend less than one hour in Asian supermarkets, either. too much good stuff!

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  3. Eggplant, my favorite! I just cooked an eggplant curry yesterday, but it is always wonderful to find new recipes with this wonderful veggie. This dish looks delicious and sounds simple enough. Thanks for the recipe.

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  4. This looks so yummy! Thanks for stopping by my page, you have some really great idea! I'll let you know if I try some - especially one of those roasts!

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  5. I whipped up a batch of this tonight and forgot to add the tofu -- and it was still DIVINE!! Served over brown rice, it's a meal :-)

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