Food First Spicy Garlic Eggplant

Ingredients

4 cups hot cooked brown or long-grain rice
1 pound extra-firm tofu
2 tablespoons sesame oil
3 Japanese eggplants (about 12 ounces)
2 tablespoons soy sauce
3 tablespoons garlic black bean sauce
3 tablespoons cornstarch
1 cup water
½ cup loosely packed fresh basil leaves
1 ½ tablespoons garlic chili paste

Directions

• Put up a pot of brown or long-grain rice (enough to make 4 cups of cooked rice if you want a cup of rice per serving) to cook while making recipe.

• Cut tofu into ½ inch size. In a medium-size skillet, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil, add tofu and sauté until brown on all sides. Cube eggplants into ¾ inch size. In a larger skillet, heat 1 tablespoon sesame oil and add eggplant, sautéing over high heat for a couple of minutes until brown on all sides. Cover, and simmer on low heat until well-cooked (about 10 minutes). Add tofu and keep warm over low heat.

• In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, black bean sauce, cornstarch, and water. Add sauce to the eggplant and tofu. Cook over medium heat a few minutes until thickened, stirring often. If the mixture becomes too thick, add more water a little at a time.

• Wash, dry, and chop basil. Just before serving, add basil and chili paste to tofu mixture and cook over medium heat for two minutes, stirring to get nice and hot.

• Serve over rice. Pass a bottle of soy sauce in case people want extra. Serve as soon as possible, as this dish gets saltier as it sits. If you are reheating leftovers, add up to ½ cup water as needed to thin sauce.