Garlic Eggplant & Crispy Tofu

Gently press the tofu with paper towels to remove excess moisture. If desired, press the tofu in a tofu press or place between paper towels under a heavy object for a few minutes to remove even more moisture. Cut the tofu into ~¾” cubes. Dust the tofu with about 2 tbsp of cornstarch and toss to fully coat.

Remove the tops from the Chinese eggplants then quarter them longwise (creating 4 long strips per eggplant). Cut the strips into ½ inch pieces to create many small chunks. Dust the eggplant with about 2 tbsp of cornstarch and toss to fully coat. (If using regular eggplant cube into ~3/4 inch pieces)

Combine all of the sauce ingredients and set aside.

Heat a swirl of veggie oil over medium-high heat in a wok or large skillet. Add the eggplant chunks and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is crispy in some places and soft all the way through, about 5-7 minutes. Try to position the eggplant so the cut sides are in contact with the pan. The eggplant will likely absorb the oil, but there’s no need to keep adding more. Once cooked, remove to a plate and tent with foil to keep warm.

To the skillet, add another generous swirl of veggie oil. Once warm, add the cubed tofu pieces. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tofu is golden and crispy on most sides, about 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove to a plate. Note, using a spatula to flip the pieces is much easier than using tongs.

Add a little more oil to the skillet, once warm add the garlic and the whites of the green onion. Cook until fragrant, about 1 minute, stirring constantly. Add the sauce and mix everything together, then add the tofu and eggplant back to the skillet. Remove from heat and mix everything together. Top with the green onion greens and sesame seeds, serve immediately with white rice.