Thai Spicy Eggplant With Basil

I have had some disastrous eggplant experiences (bitter, tough, under-seasoned) so I am always wary of buying them in the store. I know that I ruin them more often than make something tasty out of them but I couldn't pass up these teeny tiny adorable eggplants when I saw them in the Korean market. This is probably my favorite preparation of eggplant though and it worked out very well for me this time. This is what I constantly order when we get Thai carryout (although I'm sure this recipe is nowhere near authentic) and I wanted to see if I could make a reasonable approximation of it at home. I found this particular recipe at vegetariantimes.com.

I always have a basil plant on hand because they are like 3 bucks (only slightly more than you would pay for a bunch of cut) from traitor joes and even with cats occasionally munching on the leaves they usually have a good run of about 6 months in my house before they die.

Another good tip is to salt the cut eggplant with coarse salt and let it drain in a colander for an hour, then rinse thoroughly before you use it.





Ingredients:

2 Tbs. peanut or vegetable oil

½ to 1 tsp. crushed red pepper, or to taste

3 baby eggplants, cubed into bite-sized chunks

1 medium-sized onion, diced

1 medium-sized red bell pepper, seeded and diced

4 cloves garlic, finely chopped

2 Tbs. white vinegar

3 Tbs. dark soy sauce, such as tamari

2 Tbs. dark brown sugar

20 leaves fresh basil, shredded or torn

Preparation:

Meanwhile, heat a deep skillet or wok-shaped pan over high heat. Add oil and crushed red pepper, and let sizzle for 10 to 15 seconds.

 Add eggplant, and stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes.

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

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

AUBERGINES OR COURGETTES?!