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–+ servings
Braised Eggplant with Tofu in a claypot.
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5 from 6 votes

Braised Eggplant with Tofu

Braised Eggplant with Tofu is pure comfort food. The eggplants are simmered until silky, resting on bean curd that have soaked up the vegetable juices!
Prep Time10 minutes
Cook Time50 minutes
Total Time1 hour
Course: Dinner, Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian, Cantonese, Chinese
Servings: 6
Calories: 380kcal
Author: Jeannette

Ingredients

  • 1 1/2 kg / 3.3 lb eggplant
  • 500 g / 1.1 lb assorted mushrooms
  • 300 g / 0.7 lb fried tofu
  • 1 1/2 tsp pepper
  • 2 tbsp sesame oil
  • 1 tbsp honey (or to taste)
  • 4 tbsp vegetarian oyster sauce (or any substitute)
  • 3 tbsp light soy sauce
  • 2 US cup coconut water
  • 1 1/2 tsp vegetable stock powder
  • 3 tsp salt (or to taste)
  • 1/2 US cup oil
  • 1 1/2 US cup water

Instructions

  • Peel, then chop the eggplants into chunks roughly 10cm (4") thick.
    Note: Work quickly as the vegetable will start to brown as soon as it's peeled. You can keep them in lightly salted cold water to slow this process down if you plan to make a large serving.
  • Pour the oil into a pot over medium heat. When the oil's hot, add the eggplants in and stir through the vegetarian oyster sauce, sesame oil, vegetable stock powder, salt and light soy sauce to cook for 2 minutes.
    The eggplants will absorb the oil, so you might need to add more if it dries up.
  • Pour in the coconut water and let it simmer for 5 minutes.
  • Add the mushrooms in, mix them through and pour in the water.
  • Let it simmer on a low-medium heat for 30 minutes with the lid off. When the eggplants are just starting to break apart, add the tofu in to cook for another 10 minutes.
    Note: If you prefer your eggplant firmer, reduce the time spent on the heat.
  • Serve hot as is over rice!

Video

Notes

  • Keep the heat to a simmer. This will help the flavors infuse with each other and prevent burning.
  • Use fresh coconut water. You'll get a naturally sweeter sauce that comes from fresh ingredients.
  • Avoid stirring too much. As the eggplants cook and soften, any movement will break them apart and turn them into a mushy pile.
  • We used fresh assorted mushrooms, but you can choose whichever you like. Our selection includes shiitake, pearl and oyster mushrooms.
  • There are two main types of eggplants that can be found in supermarkets (the thin long ones or the bigger round ones). Both will work well in this dish.

Nutrition

Calories: 380kcal | Carbohydrates: 42g | Protein: 14g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 1g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 2g | Monounsaturated Fat: 2g | Sodium: 1893mg | Potassium: 1426mg | Fiber: 17g | Sugar: 23g | Vitamin A: 118IU | Vitamin C: 11mg | Calcium: 52mg | Iron: 2mg