Spicy Thai Eggplant Stir-fry

This year I decided to sign up for a new CSA program from Humble Bee Hill Farms. I've been super happy with the vegetables we have received thus far, everything has been delicious and fresh. The past few CSA boxes have had some of the most amazing variety of eggplants and hot peppers. 

The first dish that popped into my head after seeing all of the eggplant an peppers was a Thai dish that is sweet and spicy. This recipe is quite easy and can be easily altered for all of my carnivorous friends. You can also turn up the heat as much as you would like, i'm a wuss when it comes to spice so I went for a medium heat. Go ahead and give this one a try, it is super yummy. And as always let me know your thoughts and suggestions.

Ingredients

2 tbs olive oil

1 jalapeno pepper, diced

3 small red chili peppers, split in halves lengthwise

2 cloves of garlic, diced

1/2 onion, diced

2 tbs soy sauce or fish sauce
2 tbs brown or palm sugar

5-6 small eggplants of any variety, cut into strips
1 red bell pepper, sliced in long strips

2 tbs chopped basil (Thai basil if you have it)

Heat olive oil in a large skillet or wok to medium heat then add in the peppers, garlic and onion. Cook until fragrant then add the soy sauce and sugar until sugar dissolves. 

(At this point if you would like add chicken to the dish do so now until it has started to brown.)

Next add in the rest of the ingredients cook on high heat until eggplant starts to soften. Meanwhile, prep the tofu and make the sauce. 

Sauce

1/2 water
1 tbs cornstarch 

Mix water and cornstarch until dissolves, mix well and pour onto the vegetables. Increase heat to medium/high for 2 minutes then low to keep warm. At this point taste the vegetables and add in any more salt, pepper, soy sauce etc that you feel necessary. 

Tofu (optional)

1 package of extra firm tofu, dried and diced

1 tbs olive oil

Heat a large skillet to medium high heat, add in the tofu and cook until light brown on each side. Add into the vegetables when you add in the sauce.

                                                      

                                                     Serve as is or over rice. Enjoy!!!