Cantonese Style Eggplant with Chili Garlic Sauce

Steps

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1. 1
   Place jasmine rice in a small saucepan, rinse and drain 2-3 times to remove excess starch. Add water and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Stir gently, reduce to medium-low heat, cover, and cook for 15 minutes.
   ▶ ≈0:24
2. 2
   Finely chop four garlic cloves, a medium piece of ginger, and one deseeded long red chili pepper. Pat dry the tofu with paper towels and crumble it into a bowl using your hands or a fork. Remove the stems from two Asian eggplants, slice them lengthwise into quarters, then cut those quarters into thirds.
   ▶ ≈0:56
3. 3
   Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat and add 1 tablespoon chili oil. Add crumbled tofu and sauté for 3-4 minutes until water evaporates and edges crisp up. Drizzle in dark soy sauce and stir to coat for 1 minute. Set tofu aside.
   ▶ ≈2:57
4. 4
   Add another tablespoon of chili oil to the pan and carefully place eggplant pieces in a single layer, ensuring all pieces touch the pan. Sear for 1-2 minutes, toss, and sear for another 1-2 minutes until golden. Set eggplant aside.
   ▶ ≈3:36
5. 5
   After the rice has cooked for 15 minutes, turn off the heat and let it rest covered for another 10 minutes.
   ▶ ≈4:01
6. 6
   Heat a sauté pan over medium heat with 1 teaspoon avocado oil. Sauté the minced garlic, ginger, and chili for 2-3 minutes until fragrant. Add the crumbled tofu, plant-based oyster sauce, soy sauce, and doubanjiang. Stir well. Pour in the vegetable stock.
   ▶ ≈4:07
7. 7
   Add the seared eggplant and turn heat to medium-high, stirring well. While the sauce heats, combine 2 teaspoons potato starch with water to make a slurry. Once the sauce comes to a boil, reduce to medium heat, cover, and simmer for 5 minutes.
   ▶ ≈4:48
8. 8
   While stirring, pour the slurry into the sauce to thicken it into a glossy glaze for the eggplant. Turn off the heat. Plate the eggplant and sauce, garnish with fresh cilantro, and serve with the steamed white rice.
   ▶ ≈5:23