Chinese Eggplant with Tofu and Thai Basil

Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 25 min
Servings: 3
Yield: 3 servings

Description

This tasty vegetarian tofu and eggplant dish gets tons of flavor from fresh basil, soy sauce, and Thai chili sauce. Serve it over brown rice for a complete meal.

Ingredients

1 (14 ounce) package firm tofu, cubed
2 tablespoons peanut oil
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 small onion, halved and sliced
1 tablespoon water, or as needed
6 small Chinese eggplants
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon Thai chili sauce, or more to taste
1/2 cup chopped fresh basil

Directions

1 Place tofu on a paper towel-lined plate. Cover with another paper towel and place a heavy pot on top. Allow to sit until extra moisture has released into the paper towels, about 30 minutes.
2 Heat peanut oil over medium-high heat in a large skillet. Add tofu, onion, and garlic and saute until onions are soft, about 5 minutes, adding water if tofu sticks to the pan.
3 Add eggplant, cover, and cook until eggplant starts to soften, 5 to 7 minutes. Add soy sauce and chili sauce, lower heat to medium, and continue cooking until eggplant becomes translucent, 7 to 10 minutes. Add basil and stir until wilted, about 1 minute.