Five-spiced eggplant with tofu and Chinese greens

Ingredients

• 300g firm silken tofu
• 1/4 cup peanut oil
• 12 baby eggplant, thickly sliced
• 2 garlic cloves, crushed
• 2cm piece fresh ginger, peeled, grated
• 1 long red chilli, thinly sliced
• 1 teaspoon Chinese five-spice (see note)
• 2 bunches baby choy sum, coarsely chopped
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 2 tablespoons oyster sauce
• 1 tablespoon lime juice

Method

1. Cut tofu into 2cm pieces. Place on a large plate lined with paper towel. Cover with paper towel. Press down gently to absorb any excess liquid. Stand for 10 minutes.
2. Heat a wok over high heat. Add 2 teaspoons of the oil. Swirl to coat. Stir-fry tofu, in two batches, for 1 to 2 minutes or until golden. Transfer to a plate.
3. Add remaining oil. Swirl to coat. Stir-fry eggplant, in two batches, for 2 to 3 minutes or until browned lightly. Add garlic, ginger, chilli and five-spice. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add choy sum, soy sauce, oyster sauce and lime juice. Stir-fry for 2 to 3 minutes or until bright green and just tender. Return tofu to wok. Stir-fry for 1 minute or until heated through. Serve immediately.

Notes

• Chinese five-spice is a blend of ground cinnamon, cloves, star anise, Sichuan peppercorns and fennel seeds. Find it in the spice aisle of the supermarket. Firm tofu is ideal for stir-fries as it keeps its shape better.

Tweet