Szechwan Eggplant and Tofu

     A few weeks ago I had a surprise package on my front stoop.  It was The Moosewood Cookbook, a gift from my best bud Heather.  Heather and I have been friends since elementary school.  We had nearly every class together in high school and have been best friends ever since.   Heather has been around the world since college but we have managed to remain close.  She's the kind of friend I won't see for years but the minute we are back in the same room, it's like we were never apart.  So Heather and her boyfriend Justin, aka Bean, have been loyally following my blog and trying out the recipes I post.  The day I received the gift from Heather, it totally made my day.  I love browsing new cookbooks and tagging pages with recipes I want to try.  I literally would have to tag everything in this book and an added bonus is the super cute hand drawn illustration.  Thanks to Heather for thinking of me and sending me some love all the way from California!

Here is my first attempt at a recipe from The Moosewood Cookbook.

Szechwan Eggplant and Tofu

Ingredients
3 tbsp soy sauce
1/4 cup Mirin (or dry sherry)
1 tbsp sugar
1 tbsp cider vinegar
1 1/2 tbsp corn starch
2 tbsp peanut oil
1 medium onion, thinly sliced
1 large eggplant, cut into strips
3/4 tsp salt
2 tbsp garlic, minced
1 tbsp fresh ginger, minced
1/4 tsp black pepper
cayenne pepper. to taste
1 package of extra firm tofu, cut into strips
8 scallions, cut into strips

Method
1. Combine soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and vinegar in a liquid measuring cup.  Add water to make 1 cup of liquid.  Add the cornstarch and whisk everything together and set it aside.
2. Heat a large wok over high heat.  Add peanut oil and the onion and stir fry for one minute.  Add the eggplant and salt and continue to stir fry for 8-10 minutes.  The eggplant should be soft.
3. Add the garlic , ginger, black pepper, and cayenne pepper and cook for a few more minutes.
4. Add the tofu and scallions.  Whisk the liquid set aside from step one and add that to the wok as well.  Mix everything together and stir fry for a few more minutes.  The sauce should become thick.
5. Remove from heat.

You can serve this dish on it's own or over rice.

Heather and I together in California last summer.