I love experimenting with different types of cuisines from other cultures. This is a new one for me and a new fav for sure. There's only a mild zing of spice so the flavor is not overpowering, and I subsituted high-sodium ingredients with healthier options. It's gluten free (yay for zucchini noodles!), and vegan. People often hear vegan or gluten free and assume it must be flavorless, but I promise this dish is everything but that. I even served leftovers to a friend from out of town who is quite the "taco bell lover" when it comes to eating. Well, that same gal called me the next day asking for the recipe. Yup, it's that good. |
Ingredients:
1 eggplant, diced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 zucchini, zoodled using a spiralizer
1 block firm tofu, diced into 1/2" pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TB powdered ginger or 1/2 TB grated fresh ginger
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 TB coconut oil
1 TB sesame oil
1/4 C water
1 1/2 TB liquid aminos
1/2 TB apple cider vinegar
dash crushed red pepper
1 TB dried basil
1 tsp agave
1 tsp Sriracha sauce ( or less if prefer less spice)
1 1/2 tsp ground flax meal
Directions:
1 eggplant, diced
1 green pepper, chopped
1 red pepper, chopped
1/2 zucchini, zoodled using a spiralizer
1 block firm tofu, diced into 1/2" pieces
3 garlic cloves, minced
2 TB powdered ginger or 1/2 TB grated fresh ginger
1 tsp sesame seeds
1 TB coconut oil
1 TB sesame oil
1/4 C water
1 1/2 TB liquid aminos
1/2 TB apple cider vinegar
dash crushed red pepper
1 TB dried basil
1 tsp agave
1 tsp Sriracha sauce ( or less if prefer less spice)
1 1/2 tsp ground flax meal
Directions:
- Prepare all your vegetables and eggplant by dicing them. Meanwhile, remove the tofu and let sit on a plate wrapped in paper towel to drain out the excess water. Leave for about 20 minutes. If you don't want to wait, just squeeze out as much water as you can. This will help the tofu be more firm when cooked.
- In a medium stir fry pan, heat the coconut oil and cook the eggplant for 5-7 minutes. Sprinkle in a dash of red pepper flakes and toss. Set aside.
- In same pan, toss in garlic, sesame seeds and ginger with 1/2 tsp coconut oil and cook until lightly browned.
- Add in your Sriracha, agave, salt, oregano, apple cider vinegar, water, and liquid aminos and continue to simmer for 5-7 minutes. While it's simmering, toss in the flax meal. This will help give the sauce a creamy texture.
- Meanwhile, in a separate pan cook the tofu in sesame oil for 5-7 minutes. Tossing until lightly browned and cooked. Set aside.
- After your sauce has simmered for 5-7 minutes, add the bell peppers and zucchini and simmer for 5 more minutes.
- Toss in the eggplant and tofu, toss all together so sauce coats evenly and simmer for additional 5 minutes.
- Serve with additional sprinkle of sesame seeds, or more Sriracha if you really want it HOT!