May 16, 2017

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Eggplant

Name: Sweet and Spicy Glazed Eggplant
Ingredients: 1/2 cup Vegetable Stock; 1 tbsp Tapioca Starch; 3 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar; 2 tbsp Tamarin Sauce ((or GF soy sauce)); 1 tbsp Balsamic or Red Wine Vinegar; 2 tbsp Maple Syrup; 1 Eggplant; 1/3 cup Tapioca Starch; 1 tbsp Organic Virgin Coconut Oil; 250 g Tempeh; 1 tbsp Ginger; 1 clove of Garlic; Sweet & Spicy Glaze

This Asian inspired eggplant dish is the simplest way of replicating the delish taste of Americanized Szechuan take-out, without all the unhealthy sugars and oils. I’ve added Tempeh to accompany the eggplant but if you are soy-free it will be just as good without.

I have been avoiding pre-made high-sugar sauces full of unhealthy oils like canola and I’m so happy that I finally found the perfect recipe to make a Szechuan-ish glaze using only ingredients I had in my pantry! Of course, this sauce normally calls for specialty vinegar and bean paste, but I can’t be brought to buy ingredients that I will only use for one recipe so I found the perfect mix using ingredients I already use and have on-hand.

Here’s how to make it:

Sweet and Spicy Glazed Eggplant

Servings 2 humans

Ingredients

Sweet and Spicy Glaze

1/2 cup Vegetable Stock
1 tbsp Tapioca Starch
3 tbsp Apple Cider Vinegar
2 tbsp Tamarin Sauce (or GF soy sauce)
1 tbsp Balsamic or Red Wine Vinegar
2 tbsp Maple Syrup

Glazed Eggplant

1 Eggplant
1/3 cup Tapioca Starch
1 tbsp Organic Virgin Coconut Oil
250 g Tempeh
1 tbsp Ginger
1 clove of Garlic
Sweet & Spicy Glaze

Instructions

Preheat oven to 350F
Chop eggplant into small rectangles and soak in cold filtered water for 2 minutes
Drain eggplants, tap dry and coat with tapioca starch. Place on baking sheet and bake for 20 minutes
While the eggplants are baking, add all ingredients for glaze into saucepan and bring to boil. Stir for 5 minutes and let reduce by half
Mince tempeh in a food processor or chop in small pieces by hand.
Sauté chopped garlic and ginger with tempeh in coconut oil.
Remove eggplant from oven and dust off any excess tapioca starch.
Add eggplants to sauteed tempeh and coat with sweet and spicy glaze.
Serve over rice or rice noodles and enjoy!

I have not eaten Szechuan restaurant food in a long time, so I could not tell the difference with the ingredients I chose for the glaze but I’d love to hear if any of you noticed the difference. If so, let me know in the comments below.

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