Sichuan-Style Aubergine with Tofu & Black Beans

This is a take on mapo tofu, a popular dish from the Sichuan province of China. The key to it is a lovely chilli paste, made with fresh chillies (ideally the fleshy and not-too-hot kind), chilli flakes (which provide the real heat) and peppercorns (if you can get them, you can use Sichuan peppercorns). Serve with brown rice or wholegrain noodles. Recipe adapted from 30 Plants by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall, Bloomsbury Publishing.

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Ingredients

aubergine 2 (cubed)
red chillies 2 (chopped)
ginger 10 g (grated)
garlic cloves 2 (grated)
chilli flakes 1 tsp
black peppercorns ½ tsp
soy sauce 1 tbsp
vegetable oil 1 tbsp
firm tofu 400 g (cubed)
spring onions 4 (sliced)
black beans 400 g (drained)
brown rice 240 g

Method

Prep the aubergine

Cut the aubergines into 2–3cm cubes, tip into a colander and sprinkle with a little salt, making sure each piece gets a good pinch. Leave to drain off the juices.

Make the chilli paste

Deseed and chop the red chillies, grate the ginger and garlic cloves.
Then add them to a pestle & mortar with 1/2 tsp sea salt, chilli flakesand black peppercorns. Pound them in the pestle & mortar (or you can bash them together on a large board with a rolling pin. When you have a vibrant, speckled, thick red paste, transfer it to a small bowl and stir in the soy sauce and vegetable oil until well combined.

Prep the tofu & spring onions

If the tofu looks wet, wrap it in a tea towel and squeeze firmly from various angles to soak up excess water. Cut the tofu into 2–3cm cubes.
Cut the white part of the spring onions into 2cm slices on the diagonal, saving some of the green part to finish.

Stir fry the aubergine

Drain the aubergine, squeezing to remove excess liquid, and pat dry with kitchen paper.
Heat 2 tbsp oil or fat in a wok or large, deep frying pan over a high heat. Add the aubergine and stir-fry for 8–10 minutes until golden brown and tender, adding a little more oil as needed.

Add the chilli paste & black beans

Lower the heat slightly and add about half of the chilli paste. Cook, tossing and stirring for a minute and then add the black beans.
Toss everything together, letting the flavours mingle, and adding a few splashes of water (up to 100ml) to loosen and create a sauce – crush a few of the beans as you go to help thicken the sauce.
Taste for seasoning, adding a little more of the chilli paste if you think it’s not hot enough, and another splash of water if needed.

Cook the rice

Cook the brown rice according to the packet instructions.

Add the tofu & serve

Add the tofu and white parts of the spring onions, and stir through gently, using a wooden spoon so as not to break the tofu. Allow to bubble in the sauce for a couple of minutes to just heat through.
Finely slice the reserved green parts of the spring onion on the diagonal then scatter over the stir-fry.

Plate Up

Plate up with the brown rice and enjoy.

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