Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil

photo from vegetariantimes.com

This recipe is one of my all-time favorites. It's spicy, sweet and delicious. I found it online trying to recreate a dinner I had in a Thai place in San Francisco (Siam Lotus in the Haight) with my favorite French-speaking ginger and the Spaniard. Every time I make this dish it fills the house with a savory smell of simmering eggplant, onion and red pepper.

This dish is a little spicy, but not very hot, perfect for people who aren't into super spicy food. But it still has a kick for those that like their food like Sofia Vergara: full of flavor and delicious. It's also completely free of animal products, perfect for when the vegan friend comes to dinner. Check out my comments on the actual cooking process at the end.

I got it from Vegetarian Times, a cooking magazine for vegetarians, and a great resource.  http://www.vegetariantimes.com/

Thai Spicy Eggplant with Sweet Basil

Serves 2-3

Ingredients
1 cup jasmine rice
2 T vegetable or peanut oil
1/2- 1 t. crushed red pepper
3 baby eggplants cubed into bite sized chunks
1 medium onion, diced
1 medium red bell pepper, seeded and diced
4 cloves garlic, finely chopped
2 T white vinegar
3 T dark soy sauce, like Tamari
2 T brown sugar
20 fresh leaves basil, shredded or torn.

1. Cook jasmine rice according to package directions.

2. Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet over high heat. Add oil and crushed red pepper and let sizzle for 10-15 seconds. Add eggplant and stir-fry for 2-3 minutes.

3.Add onion, bell pepper and garlic. Stir fry for 3 minutes more. Add vinegar and soy sauce. Sprinkle with brown sugar and toss for 1-2 minutes more.

4. Remove pan from heat, add basil leaves and toss to combine with veggies. Serve over hot cooked rice.


Katie's Notes: I like to use Tamari in place of soy sauce. It's smoother, and there are gluten-free versions available. I like to use less onion than recommended. I'm not a big fan of heavy amounts of onion in dishes. I don't know if this is always the case, but I've noticed that many Thai restaurants serve the rice in a separate rice bowl, or in a ball on the side of the dish. Many Thai restaurants also serve a simple, small salad on the side as well.