Wok-braised eggplant and tofu

Jo Elwin/Tamara West

Laurie Black takes a Chinese restaurant favourite and makes it weeknight easy.

Ingredients

½	Eggplants, large, cut into 2cm cubes (Main)
1 to fry	Rice bran oil
1 piece	Ginger, 5cm, peeled and finely chopped, plus extra ginger cut into fine batons for serving.
2 cloves	Garlic, thinly sliced
1	Onion, sliced
2 Tbsp	Chilli bean paste, *
2 Tbsp	Shaoxing wine, *
2 Tbsp	Oyster sauce
½ tsp	Sugar
½ cup	Water
175 g	Tofu, firm, cut into 2cm cubes (Main)
2 tsp	Red wine vinegar
1 handful	Fresh coriander, to serve

Directions

1. Add oil to 3cm depth in a wok over medium heat. Shallow fry cubes of eggplant in batches until golden brown, then drain on paper towels. Carefully discardmost of the oil, and place wok back on heat.
2. Stir-fry chopped ginger and garlic with onion until soft. Add chilli bean paste and stir fry 30 seconds. Add shaoxing wine, oyster sauce, sugar and water to pan. Bring to boil.
3. Add eggplant and cubes of firm tofu to sauce. Simmer on low heat for 5 minutes. Finally add red wine vinegar
4. Serve in bowls with ginger and coriander scattered on top. Serve with steamed greens such as pak choy or gai lan.

Pantry notes

Jars ofchilli bean pasteand bottles ofshaoxing winefor cooking can be bought from Chinese grocers.