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This one-pan Chinese language Eggplant and Tofu Stir Fry tosses pan-fried eggplant and tofu slices in a sticky garlic sauce for a restaurant-quality meal you can also make any evening of the week! Vegan, Gluten-Free Possibility.
Skip the Chinese language takeout and make this Stir Fried Chinese language Eggplant and Tofu as an alternative. Slices of eggplant and tofu are calmly seasoned earlier than being pan-fried to golden, crispy perfection and coated in a sticky, fragrant, and garlicky stir fry sauce. Serve over rice for a restaurant-quality weeknight dinner!
Desk of Contents
A Weeknight Staple for Eggplant Lovers
Transfer over, zucchini. There’s one other veggie that ought to be starring in your late summer time meals: eggplant! This agency, meaty, and tender nightshade vegetable peaks from July to October, making it a must have in every little thing from comforting dinners to occasion dips to simple stir-fries, like this Sticky Garlic Eggplant and Tofu. Fortunately eggplant is offered year-round in most grocery shops although, so even when it’s not in season you possibly can nonetheless make this scrumptious recipe.
This wholesome and satisfying meal combines pan-fried Chinese language eggplant and tofu with sautéed aromatics and a sweet-savory sauce. The meaty, tender, and completely chewy eggplant is to die for, whereas the golden brown tofu provides simply the correct amount of crunch. The distinction of flavors and textures is *chef’s kiss*.
Elements for Chinese language Eggplant Stir Fry
This stir fry requires a handful of recent components and aromatics, plus just a few pantry staples for the garlicky sauce. These are the important thing components you’ll want:
- Chinese language Eggplant: you’re more likely to see just a few totally different types of eggplant throughout your journey to the grocery retailer. For this recipe, be sure you’re selecting up two Chinese language eggplants. These lengthy, slim, purple eggplants are good for stir-fries, however solely when ready correctly (extra on that under!). It’s also possible to use globe eggplant in case you can’t discover Chinese language eggplant at your native grocery retailer or Asian grocery retailer.
- Tofu: persist with tremendous agency or extra-firm tofu for this recipe. These agency varieties don’t have a lot extra water, which implies they don’t have to be pressed forward of time and prove crispier within the frying pan.
- Aromatics: minced ginger, a bunch of garlic cloves, and inexperienced onions are chargeable for the complicated, restaurant-quality flavors on this stir fry.
- Sauce: a mixture of tamari, rice vinegar, brown sugar, Chinese language 5 spice, black pepper, cornstarch, and water are all you could make the simple sauce.
The way to Make Sticky Garlic Eggplant and Tofu
- Soak the eggplant slices in a big bowl full of chilly water and salt.
- In the meantime, whisk the tamari or soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, 5 spice, black pepper, cornstarch, and water collectively in a small bowl till the sugar and cornstarch are dissolved. Set apart.
- Switch the drained eggplant to a clear kitchen towel and pat to dry. Place them again within the dried bowl and sprinkle the cornstarch over high. Toss to coat.
- Pan-fry the tofu in a scorching oiled pan or wok till golden on either side. Switch to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt.
- Add extra oil to the pan/wok, then add the eggplant. Toss the items within the oil and pan-fry for 8 to 10 minutes. Put aside.
- Sauté the garlic, ginger, and white components of the inexperienced onion within the now-empty pan. As soon as they’re aromatic, return the tofu and eggplant to the pan.
- Whisk the stir fry sauce as soon as extra earlier than pouring it over the eggplant and tofu. Warmth to a simmer, stirring sometimes, till the eggplant and tofu are coated.
- Serve the stir-fried eggplant and tofu in bowls over white rice and garnish with the remaining inexperienced onion and Thai basil. Take pleasure in!
Caitlin’s Cooking Suggestions
- Don’t skip the oil: Impartial-flavored oil performs a key function on this recipe! It crisps the skin of the tofu and eggplant and divulges the hidden flavors of the aromatics to present this dish its Chinese language restaurant-quality flavors. In case you’re in search of an oil-free model of this recipe, I’d advocate testing my oil-free vegan recipes as an alternative to discover a dish higher suited to your dietary preferences.
- Make this in a wok when you’ve got one: I at all times make my stir-fries in a giant stainless-steel wok as a result of they’re designed for top warmth, even cooking, and their round-bottomed form makes it simpler to toss and coat the components within the sticky garlic sauce.
Serving Solutions
The garlic sauce-coated eggplant and tofu are hearty and satisfying on their very own or served over a mattress of cooked white or brown rice. You may’t go flawed with diced inexperienced onions and recent Thai basil leaves on high, both. They add a shiny and refreshing chunk to enhance the stronger savory flavors.
To make this half of a bigger meal, serve the stir-fried eggplant and tofu with this Kabocha Squash Soup, this Roasted Garlic Sesame Broccoli, and this Kimchi Fried Rice on the facet.
In case you’re in search of extra scrumptious vegan stir fry recipes, you’ll additionally love this Tofu Mushroom Stir Fry, this Summer season Vegetable White Bean Stir Fry, and this Garlic Inexperienced Bean Stir Fry!
The way to Retailer Leftover Eggplant Tofu Stir Fry
The leftover stir fry will maintain for as much as 5 days within the fridge. Permit the leftovers to chill to room temperature earlier than transferring them to an hermetic container.
Both rapidly reheat the stir fry for 1 to 2 minutes within the microwave or add the leftovers to a calmly oiled wok or skillet on the range. Warmth over medium warmth till the eggplant and tofu are heat, crisp, and tender. Add a splash of water, tamari/soy sauce, or broth to make them saucy and sticky once more, if wanted.
Substitutions and Variations
- Gluten-Free Possibility: This recipe is inherently gluten-free in case you make the stir fry sauce with tamari or gluten-free soy sauce.
- Convey the Warmth: Add as much as 1 tablespoon of sriracha or Chinese language chili crisp to the sauce for a refined warmth.
- Tofu Substitute: Fried items of tempeh could be simply as tasty right here.
- Add Extra Veggies: Identical to on this Ramen Stir Fry, you’re greater than welcome so as to add a bunch of combined greens to this recipe (add them to the pan after sautéing the aromatics). Chopped broccoli, mushrooms, snow peas, and bell peppers would all be scrumptious.
Recipe FAQs
Brining the eggplant in salt water helps the items maintain their form and prevents them from absorbing an excessive amount of oil whereas frying.
It’s as much as you. I like how the skinny peel on a Chinese language eggplant turns into tremendous gentle and tender when cooked, however you’re welcome to peel the pores and skin forward of time in case you’d like.
You may, however it’s going to take longer. Place the coated eggplant slices and tofu on two calmly greased or lined baking sheets and bake at 450ºF for 12 to fifteen minutes, then flip and bake for one more 10 minutes or till the items are golden brown and crisp. Toss them within the sauce as regular after baking.
Take pleasure in! In case you make this recipe and determine to share it on Fb or Instagram, don’t neglect to tag me @FromMyBowl + #FromMyBowl! I might additionally find it irresistible in case you may depart a remark under with a recipe score! Thanks for the help 😊
For the Tofu and Stir Fry:
- Impartial oil for frying
- 16 ounces tremendous agency tofu* reduce into cubes or triangles
- Kosher salt for sprinkling
- 1 teaspoon ginger minced
- 5 cloves garlic roughly chopped
- 3 inexperienced onions sliced; white and inexperienced components separated
- Thai basil for garnish (optionally available)
- Cooked rice for serving (optionally available)
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Soak the Eggplant: Fill a big bowl a lot of the approach with chilly water, then combine within the salt. Switch the eggplant slices into the water and submerge them utterly, utilizing a heavy plate or pot lid to weigh them down. Let soak for quarter-hour whilst you prep the sauce.
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Stir Fry Sauce: Add the tamari or soy sauce, vinegar, sugar, 5 spice, pepper, cornstarch, and water to a small bowl or measuring glass. Whisk till the brown sugar has dissolved and the cornstarch is combined in; put aside.
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Coat the Eggplant: Drain the eggplant effectively and dry the soaking bowl. Switch the eggplant to a clear kitchen towel and press till dry; return to the bowl and sprinkle the cornstarch on high. Toss the eggplant till it’s equally coated in cornstarch; put aside.
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Fry the Tofu: Heat a beneficiant quantity of oil in a chrome steel or forged iron pan or wok over medium warmth (there ought to be about 1/4” of oil throughout the underside of the pan). Add the tofu and pan-fry for about 3 to five minutes on both sides, till golden. Switch to a paper towel-lined plate and sprinkle with salt; put aside.
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Fry the Eggplant: Add extra oil to the pan if crucial; add the eggplant to the pan and rapidly combine it to coat all sides with oil; pan-fry the eggplant for 8 to 10 minutes, stirring each 1 to 2 minutes. Take away from the pan and put aside.
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Aromatics: Add extra oil to the pan if crucial; add the garlic, ginger, and white components of the inexperienced onion to the pan and sauté for 45 to 60s seconds.
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Stir Fry: Return the tofu and eggplant to the pan. Give the stir fry sauce a last whisk and pour over the eggplant and tofu. Convey to a simmer and simmer for five to 7 minutes, stirring sometimes, till there isn’t a sauce left on the backside of the pan and the tofu and eggplant are evenly coated.
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Serve & Retailer: Serve the eggplant and tofu over white rice and high with the remaining inexperienced onion and Thai basil, if utilizing. Take pleasure in heat; leftovers will maintain within the fridge for as much as 5 days.
- Eggplant: I like to recommend utilizing Chinese language eggplant (lengthy and skinny) for this recipe, however it’s going to work with globe eggplant as effectively!
- Gluten-Free: This recipe is gluten-free in case you use tamari (naturally gluten-free) or a gluten-free soy sauce
- Word: Vitamin details are solely an estimate and embody 3 tablespoons of cooking oil, however this may occasionally fluctuate primarily based in your pan
Energy: 236kcalCarbohydrates: 21gProtein: 12gFats: 13gSaturated Fats: 2gPolyunsaturated Fats: 7gMonounsaturated Fats: 3gTrans Fats: 0.1gSodium: 1472mgPotassium: 525mgFiber: 4gSugar: 11gVitamin A: 119IUVitamin C: 5mgCalcium: 73mgIron: 2mg
