Is there such a thing as healthy comfort food? It’s what comes to mind when I make fried vegetables to eat with rice. Probably high in calories but also high in fiber. These two vegetarian dishes complement each other and make a delicious winter dinner. You can use ingredients left over from one to make the other. Serves three:
Fried eggplant served © tuttysan, 2010
1 big Italian eggplant
3 eggs
1/2 teaspoon of salt
1/4 teaspoon of pepper
1 teaspoon parsley, oregano or basil flakes (take your pick)
1/4 cup frying oil or enough to cover the bottom of your frying pan
In a mixing pot, beat the eggs and add the salt, pepper and herbs. Wash the eggplant and cut in 1/4 inch thick, round slices. Poke holes into the eggplant with a fork so it can fry faster. Place the eggplant in the mixing pot until both sides of each slice is covered with egg. Place on frying pan with hot oil and let fry for one or two minutes. Turn and let the other side fry. Eggplant is cooked when soft. Place fried eggplants on a serving plate and fry the left over egg on the left over oil. Turn the egg and cut into pieces with a knife or scramble while cooking.
Stir-fry vegetables in black bean sauce © tuttysan, 2010
1 tub of firm tofu, cut up in 1 inch thick slices.
3 eggs, scrambled (or left over scrambled eggs from fried eggplant dish above)
3 cups bean sprouts
1 big carrot, sliced
1 bunch green onion, cut to 1 inch slices
1/4 cup vegetable oil (peanut oil works great for stir-frying)
1 table spoon black bean sauce
1/2 teaspoon salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce
1/4 cup water
Notes:
- Black bean sauce is one of my favorite flavors to experiment with in Asian dishes. You can find it at an Asian market or other specialty food stores.
- One secret to cooking Asian-style stir fries that taste and look authentic is using lots of oil. Be generous.
Preparation:
Add half the oil to the pan and heat on high. Add the tofu and stir fry for a minute. Add soy sauce for color, stir fry once again and set tofu aside. Scramble the eggs in the unwashed pan if you haven’t already. Set aside. Add the remainder of the oil to the pan and stir fry the bean sprouts and carrots on high for three to five minutes, adding small quantities of water and covering as needed until they reach desired level. Add salt and stir-fry. Then, add the tofu and egg back along with the green onions, the rest of the soy sauce and the black bean sauce. Stir-fry on high for another minute.
Serve both dishes with white rice and beer. You’re in for an awesome winter treat!
Veggie lovers dinner © tuttysan, 2010
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Very nice dishes..