Garlic Eggplant & Crispy Tofu

Stir-fried Chinese eggplant and tofu, tossed in a simple garlicky sauce and topped with green onion.

 Ingredients

  

• 1 lb Chinese eggplants (about 2 medium Chinese eggplant), or sub normal eggplant
• 1 block extra firm tofu
• 3 green onions greens and whites separated and sliced thin
• 1 tablespoon freshly minced garlic
• ~¼ cup cornstarch
• veggie oil
• toasted sesame seeds for topping

For Sauce:

• 2 tablespoon soy sauce
• 2 tablespoon oyster sauce or sub vegan oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon dark soy sauce or sub 1 tablespoon regular soy sauce + 1 teaspoon brown sugar
• ½ tablespoon black vinegar or sub rice vinegar
• ½ tablespoon ginger paste or fresh grated ginger
• 1 tablespoon brown sugar
• ½ teaspoon MSG optional

Instructions

 

• Press the tofu in a tofu press, or wrap in paper towels and place under a heavy object for 30 minutes to remove excess moisture. Cut the tofu into ~¾” cubes. Dust the tofu with about 2 tablespoon of cornstarch and toss to fully coat. (For an extra crispy coating, use even more cornstarch on the tofu, about ¼ cup)
• Remove the tops from the Chinese eggplants then quarter them longwise (creating 4 long strips per eggplant). Cut the strips into ½ inch pieces to create many small chunks. Dust the eggplant with about 2 tablespoon of cornstarch and toss to fully coat. 
• Combine all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.
• Heat a swirl of veggie oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet. Add the eggplant chunks and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is crispy in some places and soft all the way through, about 5-7 minutes. Try to position the eggplant so the cut sides are in contact with the pan. The eggplant will likely absorb the oil, but there's no need to keep adding more. Once cooked, remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.
  

5. To the skillet, add another generous swirl of veggie oil. Once warm, add the cubed tofu pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is golden and crispy on most sides, about 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove to a plate.

6. Add a little more oil to the skillet, once warm add the garlic and the whites of the green onion. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the sauce and mix everything together, then add the tofu and eggplant back to the skillet. Remove from heat and mix everything together. Top with the green onion greens and sesame seeds, serve immediately with white rice.

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