Eggplant Stir-fry with Roasted Garlic Peanut Sauce

For the last few weeks, our CSA has included a large, shiny eggplant. I rarely ever buy eggplant – mainly for the sole reason that I forget they exist when I’m at the grocery store - but I do love Eggplant Chips, eggplant Parmesan, and grilled eggplant (which is how we prepared it the first week our CSA graced us with the purple vegetable). But last week, I wanted to use the eggplant in a different way.

One of the last times we were in New Hampshire, Z and I stopped at the Stonewall Kitchen outlet. We picked up a lot of goodies that day, including a bottle of their Roasted Garlic Peanut Sauce. I love peanuts – I literally have at least one serving of peanut butter daily – but I rarely ever include the flavor in my dinners. This all changed last week when I decided to make a savory, exotic-tasting “stir-fry” with our newest eggplant.

Eggplant Stir-fry with Roasted Garlic Peanut Sauce

Yields: 4 servings

-3 tbsp. extra virgin olive oil, divided

-1 medium eggplant, chopped into 1-inch cubes

-1 carrot, peeled and chopped

-1 green bell pepper, chopped

-5 white button mushrooms, chopped

-1 tsp. minced garlic

-1 tomato, chopped

-1 scallion, diced

-2 dashes of ginger powder

-1 dash of cayenne (or more, if you're a spice fiend like me)

-Salt and black pepper, to taste

-1 cup Stonewall Kitchen Roasted Garlic Peanut Sauce (or, your favorite peanut sauce)

-1/8 cup cilantro, roughly chopped, plus more for garnish

Directions:

1.) In a wok (or large saucepan), heat 2 tbsp. olive oil over medium heat. Add a layer of eggplant, and stir-fry until the eggplant cubes begin to brown and get sticky, about 3 minutes. Season lightly with salt and pepper. Remove the eggplant to a plate and cook the remaining eggplant using the same process, adding more oil if needed.

2.) Once the eggplant is done cooking, add the remaining 1 tbsp. of olive oil to the wok. Over medium heat, add the carrots and bell pepper; cook for about 2 minutes. Add mushrooms, and cook for an additional 2-3 minutes, or until mushrooms begin to brown and release their juices. Add garlic, and stir.

3.) Once the garlic becomes fragrant (about 30 seconds), add the tomato and scallion. Season the dish with the ginger, cayenne, and some more salt and pepper. Stir again, and add the Roasted Garlic Peanut Sauce (feel free to add more than 1 cup, if desired). Stir, and reduce heat to a simmer. 

4.) Let the vegetables simmer with the sauce for 4-5 minutes. Then, add cilantro and serve over brown rice. Garnish with a few more cilantro leaves. 

The end result was colorful, semi-spicy vegetable stir-fry with subtle African flavors. Even though I had the rice, I longed for a piece of bread to sop up the extra creamy sauce with. 

This meal is light enough to enjoy on a hot summer evening, but would also be perfectly comforting on a chilly winter night.

What's your favorite eggplant dish?

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