Aubergine and Tofu Stir Fry (Vegan). Serves 2.

This recipe is very similar to that of TV chef Ching-He Haung recipe- sweet silky aubergines in claypot . Differences include instead of using soya bean paste, I use miso, and have added the cabbage to add another dimension of texture.  When I saw Ching's recipe I was delighted on how substantial it looked , and best of all no animal products (Sometimes I get sick of meat and dairy ).

Ingredients 

2 medium Aubergine , or 1 large  cut into 1 inch cubes 🍆or 8 baby ones. 

1 block of smoked tofu- dried with a paper towel and cut into 1 inch cubes, or cut length wise into 1/2 inch wedges, and cut each wedge into half

200 g of either pakchoi, cabbage or Chinese leaf ( I prefer pakchoi over cabbage) 

250ml (1 cup) veg stock 

2 tbsp shoising rice wine 

1bsp corn flour 

1 or 2 chillies (to taste ) 🌶️

1 inch piece of Ginger skinned, and then grated or crushed 

3 gloves of garlic (crushed) 

1 Tbsp white miso paste (this paste is very salty so there is no need to add salt to this recipe) 

2 tbsp sweet soya sauce 

3 tablespoon vegetable or equivalent  oil (no olive oil please hehe) 

To serve 

Cooked with White rice 🍚

Chilli oil- optional (for those who like it super hot)

Sesame Oil 

Chives chopped fine to garnish at the end

Equipment 

Wide frying pan or wok 

Cooking spoon 

Pestle and mortar, or garlic crusher and microfine grater

1.In a bowl, combine the sweet soya sauce, veg stock, and tablespoon of corn flour. Mix well esp until corn flour dissolves. 

 2. Time to crisp up your tofu- in batches , on a heated pan, on a medium setting , add 1 tablespoon of oil to brown up your tofu. To do so ensure pieces of tofu are always on a single layer and directly touching the pan. After each batch is cooked remove from pan and set aside. You may need to put a lid of some sort if the oil starts to splash . 

3. Next give your aubergine some love- Repeat the process of step 1 incl adding 1 Tbsp of oil, but with the aubergine and adding a splash of water every now and again to creat some steam . This may take a little longer. You also want the aubergine to soften a little. 

4.Remove, and now either  cook the cabbage, pakcoi or Chinese leaf the same way. Set aside the cabbage. 

5.Next turn off the heat, add the final tbsp of oil and throw in your garlic , chillies and and ginger. The residule heat should start to cook these, add the shoising wing and allow it to evaporate . After about a minute, turn down the heat to low, and cook aromatics i.e. ginger, chilli and garlic till fragerant.

6.Throw the tofu and veg back in, and add liquid mixture (i.e. the soya sauce, veg stock and cornflour mix, and give everything a stir. Allow sauce to thicken and reduce by about half should only take about 5 minutes. 

7. Add sesame oil.Serve on top of rice and garnish with chives. Top with chilli oil it using.