In case you didn’t know this already, eggplant is my favorite vegetable. I could eat it several days a week, and I am on a mission to discover a variety of ways to prepare it.

The thought occurred to me recently that eggplant would make an ideal man:

• It’s versatile and flexible. It can be dressed up fancy or down-to-earth.
• It is culturally apropos, whether the choice is Italian, Asian, etc.
• It is hearty and comforting, but it can also be spicy. 😉
• It is unique, yet it fits in with a variety of venues.
• It has a firm exterior, but it is soft on the inside.
• The short and plump variety are just as good as the tall and skinny variety; appearance matters little.
• It can be bitter if you don’t know how to treat it.
• It is good for you.

Without further ado, allow me to share my most recent concoction of stir-fried eggplant with tofu. It is so delicious, I ate it for lunch and dinner. 🙂

• Approx. 1/3 of one medium-size eggplant (or, if using the banana-shaped Japanese eggplant variety, use about 1/2 of one)
• 1/4 of one tub of firm or extra-firm (some packages say “hard”) tofu
• 2 Tbsp oyster sauce (hoisin sauce is also scrumptious, if you prefer)
• 2 Tbsp soy sauce
• dash of salt, to taste (but not too much, b/c soy sauce is already salty)
• 2 Tbsp olive oil

Cut the eggplant and tofu into strips about 1/2″ thick. (Even firm tofu is delicate, so slice gently if  you want strips instead of chunks.) Pan-fry the eggplant strips in a skillet with olive oil over medium-high heat until it begins to brown. Turn, as necessary, to brown both sides. Scoot the eggplant to the sides (so it doesn’t overcook), as shown above, and add the tofu strips to the middle of the skillet. Cook until toasty-brown, flipping as needed.

Drizzle oyster sauce and soy sauce over the skillet and gently (<<see above reference re: tofu fragility) stir the dish until the eggplant & tofu are coated. Remove from heat and serve immediately. Serves one as a main dish or two as appetizers/side dishes. Enjoy!