Adding Heat to A Fall Day...

We had to pick the last of the eggplant and it from the frost. It was time to find some new recipes, so today for lunch I tried a Chinese eggplant stir fry and it was a big hit. Some substitutes were necessary as it was a rainy day and I had no desire to run out for a couple items.

Here's Chinese Eggplant Sichuan a la End of the RainbowValley

INGREDIENTS:

1 T  sesame oil (more oil will be needed)
2 T   peanut oil
4 Chinese eggplants (2 lbs)/ regular eggplant
halved lengthwise, sliced diagonally into inch half moons  
salt & pepper
 1 c chicken broth (water with veggie boullion)
 1 T crushed red pepper flakes/sm chile use 'less' for milder palates
 3 T minced garlic 
 1 slice ginger, minced
 2 green onions, chopped
 2 T brown sugar
 1 T cornstarch
 4T light soy sauce
 2 T rice vinegar 
(rice)

DIRECTIONS:
Heat oil in a skillet/wok and coat pan over high heat. 
When it smokes, add eggplant in a single layer, cook 3 min/ side.
Season with salt and pepper. 
Remove eggplant after it becomes sticky.
Repeat with remainder of eggplant, adding more oil if necessary.
Stir red pepper flakes, garlic, ginger and onion in skillet. 
Cook 1 min.
Add broth. Let simmer.
Meanwhile, mix sugar, cornstarch, soy sauce and vinegar in bowl until sugar and cornstarch dissolve. Add sauce to skillet.  
Cook until sauce thickens. Add eggplant and coat.
Cook couple minutes more.

 Served on top of rice.  

As a side, I stir fried chopped bok choy with salt and sugar. The bok choy is a nice complement.

Isn't the bok choy really pretty? We bought the seed a year ago in Seattle's Chinatown/ Little Asia  in a tiny Asian grocery store. This batch planted in August liked the cooler September/October weather.  
So glad it grew here in the End of the Rainbow Valley...