Asian Eggplant and Noodle Stir-Fry

Submitted by Daydream

"A versatile, quick and easy meat-free, mid-week meal. I use 20ml tablespoons for this recipe. Measure out all ingredients before commencing to cook. Sometimes I saute (then remove) some sliced chicken thigh meat before stir-frying the eggplant, or I add some sliced portobello mushrooms. In this case, use your judgment to increase the amount of the sauce ingredients if necessary. If you don't like chillies, omit. From Delicious magazine."

 

• Ready In: 30mins
• Ingredients: 12
• Serves: 2-4

ingredients

• 200 -300 g dried flat egg noodles (I use Chang's)
• 3 -5 tablespoons vegetable oil (I use grapeseed)
• 1 red onion, peeled and finely chopped
• 2 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
• 1 -2 red chile, finely sliced (seeded if wished for less heat) (optional)
• 8 unpeeled baby eggplants, sliced finely on the diagonal
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar (or substitute palm sugar or jaggery if desired)
• 3 tablespoons light soy sauce
• 3 tablespoons oyster sauce (I use Chang's)
• 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil
• 1 teaspoon asian fish sauce
• 2 spring onions, sliced

directions

1. Cook noodles according to packet instructions, drain and set aside.
2. Heat a little vegetable oil over a medium flame in a wok, and saute the onion, garlic and chilli, stirring frequently for 2 to 3 minutes. When the onion is soft, remove from wok and set aside.
3. Increase heat and add 2 tablespoons oil. Stir fry eggplant in batches for 2 to 3 minutes, stirring constantly until golden brown. Remove from pan and set aside.
4. Add remaining vegetable oil to wok with the brown sugar and cook 3 minutes until caramelized - be careful not to burn.
5. Add soy sauce, oyster sauce, sesame oil and fish sauce and stir until heated through.
6. Add noodles to the wok with the onion mixture and eggplants, and toss to coat with the sauce. Taste and add a little extra brown sugar if desired.
7. Serve garnished with spring onions and seasoned with a little salt (optional) and freshly ground pepper, to taste.

Reviews

[tpj653]

Made this to use a bumper crop of Asian Eggplants and -- WOW -- what a nice surprise! The flavors were similar to our favorate Drunken Chicken dish at a DC restaurant that we now miss as we have retired to the Midwest. I added strips of thick cut roast beef at the end, heated just to warm and how nice it was. Will use chicken next time. The carmelized brown sugar was a bit worrisome but it worked out well. I think I had too much oil and added more sugar and it eventually was liquified into the sauce. Note that this makes 6 servings, or 4 quite large servings.