This is the first year I've grown eggplant. It's generally not a plant I get excited to eat, although the fruit and flowers are so beautiful and I have a strong affinity for purple vegetables. So when I saw the Baker Creek description for Chinese string eggplant as the best-tasting they're grown, it sounded like the perfect opportunity to give eggplant a shot in my garden. I only got one plant to take up roots but one was enough: it's been quite prolific and produces plenty for the two of us to eat eggplant once a week. It grows right next to the Thai basil.
1/2 lb tofu, extra firm, blotted dry, cut in 3/4 inch cubes
1/3 yellow onion, sliced
10 Chinese string eggplants (about 1 1/4 lbs) , sliced in 1 in diagonal pieces
4 large cloves garlic, minced
large handful of Thai basil leaves
3 T rice vinegar or lime juice
1/4 c nama shoyu or soy sauce
3 T brown sugar
sriracha to taste, optional
In a large sauce pan, heat 1/8 inch of oil on high. Cook tofu on 2 sides until golden brown. Remove from oil and let drain.
Pour out most of the oil but leave some in the pan. On high heat, stir fry onion until they start to soften. Add eggplant and stir fry until mostly soft. Add garlic and basil, stirring until basil is wilted. Add the rest of ingredients and allow to steam and reduce until sauce thickens, softening the eggplant. Stir in the fried tofu and serve over brown rice.
Serves 2-3
