Thai Style Fusilli With Eggplant And Shiitake Recipes

Steps:

• Heat oil in a frying pan over medium heat. Add chile and garlic; cook and stir until garlic is golden, about 1 minute. Add eggplants to the fragrant garlic oil. Stir in water and cover. Cook, stirring every few minutes, until eggplants soften, 5 to 8 minutes.
• Uncover and stir in soy sauce, sugar, and salt. Stir well and continue cooking until all the water has evaporated and eggplant is coated with sauce, about 5 minutes. Add basil leaves and stir once; remove from heat.

Steps:

• Fill a 4-quart kettle three-fourths full with salted water and bring to a boil for cooking fusilli.
• Cut eggplant into 1/2-inch cubes and transfer to a colander set over a bowl. Sprinkle eggplant lightly with salt and let drain 10 minutes. While eggplant is draining, discard stems from mushrooms and cut caps into 3/4-inch pieces. Cut scallions diagonally into thin slices. Quarter tomatoes and chop jalapeño including seeds (wear rubber gloves). Rinse eggplant and squeeze dry, discarding any liquid in bowl.
• Boil fusilli until al dente.
• While fusilli is boiling, in a large non-stick skillet cook gingerroot and garlic in oil over moderately high heat, stirring, until fragrant, about 30 seconds. Add eggplant and mushrooms and sauté, stirring constantly, until softened, 3 to 4 minutes. Add scallions and sauté, stirring, until eggplant is tender, about 2 minutes. Stir in coconut milk, tomatoes, jalapeño, basil, and salt and pepper to taste and cook just until heated through, about 30 seconds.
• Drain fusilli in a colander and in a bowl toss with sauce.

Steps:

• Salt the eggplant generously and leave in a colander to sweat for 15 to 30 minutes, while you prepare the remaining ingredients. Rinse and drain on a clean kitchen towel.
• Place the garlic in a mortar with 1/4 teaspoon salt and mash to a paste. Add the ginger and chiles, and continue to mash with the garlic. In another small bowl, mix together the fish sauce, soy sauce, sugar and pepper. Set aside.
• Heat a large, heavy skillet or wok over high heat, until a drop of water evaporates immediately upon contact. Add 1 tablespoon oil, turn the heat down to medium-high, and add the garlic paste. Stir-fry for 30 seconds, and add the chicken. Stir-fry for three to four minutes, until the chicken is cooked through and no traces of pink remain. Transfer from the pan or wok to a plate or bowl.
• Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the pan. Add the eggplant. Cook, stirring, until the eggplant is lightly browned and almost cooked through, about 10 minutes. Stir the chicken back into the pan, and add the fish and soy sauce mixture. Add 1/4 cup water, cover the wok or pan, turn the heat down to medium and steam for five minutes. Uncover, and stir in the basil leaves. Stir for 30 seconds to a minute, remove from the heat and serve with rice.