One From Column "A" - Five Spice Asian Eggplant

I'm only marginally ashamed to admit it -
I buy grocery store sushi.

Why?
It's brainless food. It's a quick dinner without all the muss and fuss of actually getting in there and whooping up a tasty and healthy meal...

but ...
I only bought one pack without really looking at what I bought, and in it were 8 pieces of brown rice California Roll and 4 pieces of brown rice Salmon Nigiri. I thought I picked up something with a better selection for two people. Which still puts me in the kitchen - cooking.

Poking around in the fridge looking for something to augment tonight's dinner with, I came across my "bounty" of Asian eggplant from the garden - all three of them. The eggplants have been a cruel joke all season as my plants are only giving up the goods (that's one) every couple of weeks or so, and trying to find something to do with  a single, small, skinny aubergine is next to impossible... and, by the time I have enough to do something with, the first ones are withering and unusable. It's been a Chinese fire-drill in the crisper bin.

Since we're doing the healthier eating thing (more about that after I survive this first week), I decided to whip up a quick eggplant stir fry with the eggplant (yay, all three) snow peas and onions with a little  five-spice flavor.

Five Spice
 Asian Eggplant
Serves 2
Ingredients
3 Asian Eggplant
1/2 White Onion
1 Cup Snow Peas
1/2 Cup Mushrooms - Sliced
1 Clove Garlic - Minced
1/4 Cup Corn Starch
1 Tablespoon Chinese 5-Spice
1/2 Teaspoon Salt
2 Tablespoons Light Soy
2 Tablespoons Honey
2 Tablespoons Water
1/4 Cup Oil
Large Saute Pan

• Tip the eggplant and slice on the diagonal (about 1/2 to 1" thick)
• Toss the slices in salt and set aside for a couple of minutes
• Mix together the starch and 5-spice in a mixing bowl and toss in the eggplant
• Turn the pieces over in the dry mix to coat both sides completely
• Heat the oil over medium high heat; add the coated eggplant and brown on both sides
• Remove and set aside
• Pour off all except 1 tablespoon of oil, add the garlic, onions, peas and mushrooms; and saute until the onions are wilted
• Add the eggplant back along with the soy, honey and water
• Toss the vegetables around in the sauce until it thickens a bit from the corn starch
• Remove and serve immediately with some steamed jasmine rice.

Posted in: Asian,Eggplant,Stir-Fry