veggie

 
Serves 4 to 6

Coconut milk gives this simple vegetarian dish, from A Passion For Vegetables by Paul Gayler (Kyle Cathie, 1999), a wonderful silken texture and a hint of sweetness. Serve as a side dish or over rice.

4 oz. (100 mL) vegetable oil
1 Ib. (450 g) Japanese eggplant (the long thin variety), sliced into 1/2"-thick (1 cm) rounds
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1/2 tsp (3 mL) grated fresh ginger
1-1/2 tsp (8 mL) rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp (15 mL) Asian chili sauce
2 tbsp (30 mL) Thai fish sauce
14-oz. (400-mL) can unsweetened coconut milk

Juice of 1 lime
Pinch of granulated sugar Salt to taste
4 green onions, finely chopped

Heat oil in large frying pan or wok until very hot, then add eggplant and stir-fry until tender, about 5 or 6 minutes. Remove eggplant from oil, draining off excess oil, and place eggplant on paper towels to mop up additional oil.

In a saucepan, heat 2 tablespoons (30 mL) of the leftover oil from the frying pan or wok, add garlic, ginger, vinegar and stir, then add chili sauce, fish sauce and coconut milk Bring to a boil, add eggplant and cook over moderate heat 10 to 12 minutes.
Stir in lime juice, sugar and salt. Sprinkle with green onions.