Subj : Szechwan Eggplant With Tofu
To   : All
From : Ben Collver
Date : Sat Sep 30 2023 10:57:28

MMMMM----- Recipe via Meal-Master (tm) v8.06

      Title: Szechwan Eggplant & Tofu
 Categories: Chinese, Stir fry
      Yield: 6 Servings

      3 tb Soy or safflower oil
    1/2 c  Onion; thinly sliced
      3    Scallions; greens minced;
           -bottoms cut into strips
      1 tb Fresh garlic; minced
      1 ts Fresh ginger; grated
    1/4 ts Anise; freshly-ground
      1 lg Eggplant; cut into thin
           -slices lengthwise; then
           -strips cut across, (7-8 c)
      4    Fresh tofu cakes; cut into
           -chunks
    1/2 oz Tree ears; soaked in boiling
           -water until soft; then
           -sliced
    1/2 ts Salt
    1/4 ts Ground black or Szechwan
           -pepper; or more
    1/4 ts Cayenne pepper

MMMMM---------------------------SAUCE--------------------------------
      3 tb Tamari
      3 tb Sherry
      1 ts Sugar
      1 ts Dark vinegar
      3 tb Corn starch

  Preparation time: 1 1/2 hours

  Szechwan is the spiciest of Chinese cuisines. This is a stir-fry dish,
  which means you should have your ingredients prepared and assembled
  when your dinner guests arrive, so you can fry and serve immediately.
  Your rice should be a little more than half-done when frying begins.
  Start about 2 1/2 cups dry rice in 4 1/2 c boiling water about 10-15
  minutes before frying.

  About some of the exotic ingredoients in this recipe: "tree ears" are
  a dried fungus, related to mushrooms. They are sold in little
  ounce-packets in Asian food stores. Szechwan pepper is not always
  easy to find, but if you find some, prepare it by dry-roasting in a
  skillet until it smokes lightly, giving off an incense-like aroma.
  Then remove from heat and grind it in a spice grinder or with mortar
  and pestle. If you can't get it, black pepper will do.

  Heat oil in wok or large, heavy skillet. Add onions, garlic, and salt.
  Stir-fry 5 minutes. Add ginger and fry 5 more minutes. Add eggplant
  and stir fry over fairly high flame until eggplant begins to wilt
  (about 8-10 minutes). Add anise, tofu, tree ears, and pepper.

  Mix liquid sauce ingredients with enough water to make 1 cup. Whisk
  the tamari-liquid mixture into the corn starch until you have a smooth
  substance. Add to the eggplant, mix well, and cover. Lower the heat
  and let sit about 5 minutes. Then, uncover, raise heat back to
  medium, and stir-fry until the eggplant is very tender. Toss in
  scallion bottoms (in strips) just before removing from the heat.
  Sprinkle scallion greens on top of each serving.

  Recipe by Moosewood Cookbook

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