Thai Eggplant Stir Fry With Chili Paste Pork Basil Food

THAI EGGPLANT STIR-FRY (WITH CHILI PASTE, PORK & BASIL)

Steps:

• Chop/prepare the eggplant, garlic, red chilies, Prik Kee Nu green chilies (if using), large red chili, yellow onion, and Thai sweet basil leaves as indicated in the 'Ingredients' section. Transfer the eggplant to a bowl filled with water and soak for 15-20 minutes. Using a mortar and pestle, pound the garlic, Bird's Eye red chilies, Prik Kee Nu green chilies into a coarse paste and set aside. (Or smash with the back of your knife and finely chop if you don't own a mortar and pestle.)
• Whisk together the Thai chili paste, oyster sauce, light soy sauce, tamarind paste, and water in a measuring cup (for easier pouring) or small bowl and set aside.
• Mix the corn starch and water in a measuring cup or bowl and set aside.
• Heat 2 tablespoons of canola oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Once hot, add the eggplant and cook for 8-10 minutes, tossing occasionally, until slightly browned and tender. Transfer to a clean bowl and return the wok to the stovetop. (Don't worry if the eggplant isn't completely tender yet. The residual heat will allow it to continue cooking and become tender in the bowl.)
• Heat the remaining 1.5 tablespoons of oil over medium-high heat in the wok. Once hot, add the onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds until slightly softened. Then add the smashed garlic chili paste and large red chili and toss to combine for 30 seconds until fragrant.
• Add the ground pork and ground white pepper. Cook for 2 minutes, breaking up the lumps with your spatula, until just cooked.
• Add the eggplant back into the wok and pour in the sauce. Toss briefly until everything is combined well and coated in the sauce.
• Give the corn starch slurry a quick stir with a spoon (the corn starch will have settled at the bottom of the measuring cup/bowl), then pour it into the wok. Toss for a minute until the sauce has thickened.
• Add the Thai sweet basil leaves and briefly toss until slightly wilted - about 15-20 seconds, then switch off the heat.
• Transfer to a serving dish and serve immediately with warm steamed rice.

THAI BASIL EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chile and garlic; cook and stir until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add eggplants to the fragrant garlic oil. Stir in water and cover. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until eggplants soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Uncover and stir in soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir well and continue cooking until all the water has evaporated and eggplant is coated with sauce, about 5 minutes. Add basil leaves and stir once; remove from heat.

THAI STYLE PORK WITH EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Combine soy sauce, fish sauce, sugar and pepper in a small bowl. Set aside. Steam 1 inch cubes of eggplant until tender. Set aside.
• Heat wok over high heat until hot. Add oil and swirl to coat. Add eggplant and stir fry for 10-15 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate using a slotted spoon.
• Add garlic and chilli to the wok and stir fry for 5 minutes. Add mince a stir fry for 5 minutes or until brown. Return eggplant to wok and add soy sauce mixture and coriander. Stir fry for 2 minutes or until sauce has thicken slightly.
• Serve with jasmine rice! Yum!

EGGPLANT & BASIL STIR FRY

Steps:

• Bring a pot of salted water to boil. Cook rice noodles 2-4 minutes (or as directed on the package), till tender. Drain, reserving 1/4 Celsius cooking water.
• Slice eggplant in half lengthwise, then quarter each piece lengthwise again. Slice horizontally into 1/2" planks (they'll be roughly 1/2" by 1" pieces). You may peel the eggplant first if you don't like the skin.
• Remove stems and roughly chop basil leaves (so they're bite size--if they are all small, no need to chop).
• In a large wok, heat oil til it smokes. Toss in garlic and peppers and stir fry till fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add eggplant, basil, & bean sprouts and stir fry till tender, about 3 minutes.
• While eggplant cooks, whisk soy sauce, mirin, peanut butter, and reserved pasta water together into a thin sauce.
• Once eggplant is tender, remove wok from flame, toss in noodles and sauce and stir briefly to coat. Serve.

EGGPLANT THAI STIR FRY

Steps:

• Mix the seasonings in a bowl until the sugar is dissolved and set aside.
• Rinse and dry the eggplant and cut off stems; don't peel. Quarter them lengthwise and cut each quarter into 2-inch wedges. Set aside.
• In a small bowl, dissolve the cornstarch with the water and sesame oil. Set aside.
• Heat a large, heavy skillet(or wok) over high heat for 30 seconds. Add the olive oil with the chili-pepper oil(or red pepper flakes), swirl, and heat for 30 seconds. Throw in the garlic, ginger, and scallions and stir rapidly for 15 seconds.
• Add the eggplant wedges and stir with a spatula in flipping and gentle pressing motions for 2-5 minutes to expose them to the oil.
• Turn heat down to medium high and continue to turn and press lightly for 4-7 more minutes, until the wedges are slightly browned and flattened. Don't press them hard, or they might break and become messy.
• Turn the heat back up to high. Give the seasonings a stir and pour over the eggplant. Stir in scooping and lifting motions for about 30 seconds; give the cornstarch mixture a stir and add to the sauce. Cook to desired doneness.
• Toss quickly, then place into a hot serving dish. Enjoy!
• Makes 3 to 4 servings.

PORK, BASIL AND CHILLI STIR FRY - THAI STYLE

Steps:

• Prepare all ingredients in advance.
• Place wok or pan over a moderate heat and add 2 tablespoons oil.
• Add garlic and stir fry gently until it is just starting to colour lightly.
• Add the sliced shallots and stir fry for a few minutes until they are transparent.
• Remove garlic and shallots to another dish and set aside until needed.
• Add a little more oil to the pan and increase heat.
• Stir fry pork, in batches, until it is coloured (it doesn't have to be cooked through).
• When the last batch of pork is cooked, add the shallots and garlic and the remaining pork to the pan.
• Add the chillies and stir fry for a minute or two.
• Now add the oyster sauce, fish sauce and palm sugar.
• Stir fry for about 5 minutes or so until pork is cooked and the sauce is slightly caramelised.
• Add basil and stir fry until wilted.
• Before serving, sprinkle lightly with white pepper.
• Serve with steamed jasmine rice.

THAI BASIL EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Peel eggplant if desired (I don't). Cut into irregular shapes but same sizes. That makes them easier to turn and keeps them from sticking to the pan.
• Heat wok over med-high heat. Add oil, peppers and garlic. Cook until garlic becomes lightly browned, 1-2 minutes.
• Add eggplant and stir. Add 1/2 cup water cover and simmer 5 minutes, until eggplant has soaked up most of the water and becomes translucent. You may need to add more water as it cooks.
• Add fish sauce and sugar. Stir gently. Turn off the heat and add the basil stir gently.
• Serve immediately.
• Really good with jasmine rice :O.