Cooking for Zo

Taste Level: VGR
Cost: $20 and under
Serves: 4
Prep Time: 10-15 min.
Cook Time: 10-15 min.
Difficulty: 1

Another edition of "Cooking for Fran." I told Zo, "I needed a break from cooking." She replied, "I will cook tonight." Then I cooked anyway because I had set out some salmon to defrost earlier and knew what I wanted to do with it. I did let her cook the next day however and the best part is not that I got a break but how great Zo can cook! I need to take breaks from the kitchen more often! This meal was fast and easy but so tasty that I had to fight with myself about not going back for thirds. Zo had wanted to have this dish over rice but we both had forgot that we ran out of rice after I made Etoufee so we used rice noddles instead. Personally I like rice noodles better when we have Asian styled food because it is way easier to eat with chop sticks! I hope you enjoy this recipe as much as I did! (On a side note did you know that I ate with chopsticks for a whole summer around age 7-9. One of my Asian aunts gave me a pair and I ate every meal with them. The hardest snack for me to eat were Cheez-its while watching Nickelodeon. it took me a good week to figure out how to effectively eat them with chop sticks but I finally got it! That was one fun summer!)

Ingredients:
Eggplant
1 1/2 globe eggplants (cubed)
3 tbsp peanut oil
1 tbsp sesame oil
3 scallions (chopped)
1 tsp fresh ginger (minced)
3 garlic cloves (minced)
1 fresh Green Chile
1/2 cup vegetable bullion
1/2 tsp sesame seeds (for sprinkling over dish)

Sauce
3 tbsp soy sauce
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 tbsp brown sugar
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp chili sauce
1/2 of a ripe oranges juice

Rice noodles
1 bunch of rice noodles (enough for 4 servings)

Sauce
Mix ingredients in a small bowl and sit to side.

Rice Noddles
Soak and cook according to instructions on package.

Eggplant
Over medium high heat, heat peanut and sesame oils in a wok until just starting to smoke, stir fry eggplant until soft and seared (7-10 minutes.) Remove eggplant from wok and sit to side. Add scallions, ginger, garlic and chili and stir fry until very fragrant (about 5 minutes.) Add vegetable bullion and sauce to wok and cook 1-3 minutes until thickened. Move eggplant back into wok and heat through for 3-4 minutes.

Spoon Szechuan Eggplant over a serving of noodles and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Serve while still hot.