Ingredients:
2 tablespoon vegetable oil
6 Asian eggplants or 2 globe eggplants, cut into 2 inch long wedges
½ cup shallots or red onion, minced
4 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ cups Thai basil
2-3 bell pepper (any color), sliced
3 Thai bird chiles, sliced
Sauce:
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
4 teaspoons sambal oelek
1 tablespoon palm or brown sugar
2 tablespoons vegan fish sauce (or use 2 additional tablespoons soy sauce)
¼ cup water
2 teaspoons cornstarch
Directions:
Toss the eggplant slices with the 1 tablespoon of oil. Preheat air fryer and then place the eggplant slices in a single layer in the basket. Cook at 400 degrees for 10 to 12 minutes until lightly browned.
Combine the sauce ingredients in a measuring cup. Mix with a fork until fully combined.
In a large skillet, heat 1 tablespoon of oil and sauté minced shallots or red onion for 4 minutes until fragrant and softened.
Add garlic, Thai basil, bell pepper, Thai bird chilies. Stir-fry for a few minutes until the vegetables are cooked but still vibrant.
Add the eggplant into the skillet with peppers and aromatics, and pour the sauce over the sautéing vegetables. Stir well to coat evenly and let it simmer for a couple of minutes until the sauce thickens.
Serve over rice. You can garnish with fresh Thai basil leaves and thinly sliced green onions.
Notes:
Our garden produces a lot of eggplants in the summer and I like to enjoy a variety of dishes using them. Plant some Thai basil next to it and enjoy this dish throughout the summer.
