Spicy Stir-Fried Eggplant and Peppers

This recipe is inspired by the spicy and garlicky stir-fried eggplant dish you may have enjoyed at Chinese eateries. It’s so easy to make at home!

Sometimes it’s called eggplant in garlic sauce, and sometimes Szechuan eggplant, but whatever you call it, add garlic and spice to your taste.

Complete the meal: Serve with a platter of cherry or grape tomatoes, pickled beets, and sliced cucumbers with this dish. For extra fun, add some vegetable spring rolls or dumplings from your supermarket or natural foods store frozen section.

Variations: You can vary the dish by using celery or bok choy instead of (or in addition to) bell peppers. This is also great served over noodles (rice noodles, soba, udon, bean-thread) in place of rice.

Yield: 4

Spicy Stir-Fried Eggplant and Peppers

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Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Total Time 30 minutes

Ingredients

• 1 tablespoon neutral high-heat oil
• 2 teaspoons dark sesame oil
• 4 to 5 cloves garlic, minced, or more, to taste
• 2 long Japanese eggplants, or 1 medium eggplant, about 1 pound total
• 2 medium bell peppers, any color, cut into short narrow strips
• 1/4 cup dry white or red wine, or cooking sherry
• 1/4 cup hoisin sauce
• 1 tablespoon grated fresh or squeeze-bottle ginger
• 1 tablespoon soy sauce, or more to taste
• 2 to 3 scallions, thinly sliced, plus more for garish
• Sriracha, dried red pepper flakes, or other hot seasoning, to taste
• Hot cooked rice or noodles for serving
• Seeded and sliced fresh hot chili peppers for garnish, optional
• Sesame seeds for garnish, optional

Instructions

1. Heat the oil in a stir-fry pan. Add the garlic and sauté over medium-low heat until golden.
2. Cut the Japanese eggplants into 1/4-inch thick slices. Or, if using regular eggplant, quarter lengthwise, then into 1/4-inch thick slices.
3. Add the eggplant and bell peppers to the pan, followed by the wine, hoisin sauce, ginger, and soy sauce. Cook, covered, over medium heat for 5 minutes, or until the eggplant is nearly tender. Lift the lid once or twice during that time to stir. 
4. Stir-fry, uncovered, for 5 minutes longer, or until the eggplant is just tender.
5. Season to taste with soy sauce and spicy seasoning.
6. Serve at once with hot cooked rice or noodles with either or both of the optional garnishes.

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