Garlic Eggplant Stir Fry/vegan/expandthetable

Garlic Eggplant Stir Fry

Serves 6

Sauce

1/4 to 1/3 cup tamari sauce

1 tablespoon sesame oil

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

2 tablespoons honey

2 tablespoons white wine

5 tablespoons canola oil

1/4 cup water from dried shitake mushroom reconstitution

1 tablespoon cornstarch

Stir Fry

3 small eggplants, diced

1 small onion, diced

1 stalk celery, diced

2 bell peppers, 1 red, 1 green, thinly sliced

4 cloves garlic, minced

2-3 dried shitake mushrooms

1 tablespoon peeled and minced fresh ginger

1-2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds

suggestions

For diabetics: Use Stevia in place of honey in sauce.
Allium Free: Use 1 bulb fennel, thinly sliced, in place of onion. Omit garlic.
Add other thinly sliced veggies: carrots, bok choy, cabbage.
Add protein: Add 1 package tofu, drained and cubed. Place tofu on parchment lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with soy sauce and sesame oil. Bake at 400 for 10 minutes or until browned. Flip over and bake another 5-10 minutes until browned on other side. Remove from oven and add to stir fry with vegetables added to sauce.
Make it spicier: Add 1 jalapeño chili pepper, minced
Use rice noodles in place of rice.

In a bowl, mix together sauce ingredients. Whisk until cornstarch is smoothly incorporated. Set aside.
In 1-cup very hot water, place 2-3 dried shitake mushrooms. Leave for 8 minutes. Drain liquid and reserve for sauce. Mince mushrooms.
Heat 1 tablespoon oil in a wok or sauté pan. Add eggplant and cook, stirring continuously, for about 8 minutes. Remove from wok and place in colander over a bowl, to drain excess oil.
Sauté vegetables separately in wok: onion, celery and bell peppers. Add to colander.
Place sauce, with garlic, mushrooms and ginger, in hot wok. Stir continuously until sauce is thickened. Add vegetables back in and stir to combine with sauce. Serve over brown rice and sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.