Stir-Fried Eggplant With Honey, Turmeric & Soy

Elongated rather than round, Japanese eggplants have thinner skins and cook much more quickly than other varieties, making them ideal for stir-frying.

Sear and stir is the name of the game when you are using a wok or skillet for this method; the food will burn unless constantly stirred. When using a wok – or a skillet – to stir-fry, heat the pan over the highest heat possible. (Make sure you turn on the exhaust ventilation, too.) Eggplant is spongy and sucks up a lot of liquid while cooking. Don’t add more oil to the pan; just continue to sear and stir until the eggplant is well cooked.

2 tablespoons low-sodium soy sauce
1 tablespoon honey
½ teaspoon red pepper flakes
¼ teaspoon ground turmeric
1 tablespoon organic, unrefined, cold-pressed avocado oil
4 cups Japanese eggplant, sliced on the bias into ½-inch pieces (about 2 eggplants)
1 ½ cups thinly sliced onions
1 scallion, thinly sliced

1. In a bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, honey, red pepper flakes, turmeric, and 2 tablespoons water.
2. Heat a wok or skillet over high heat. Add the oil. When hot, add the eggplant and onions. Let the vegetables sear for a moment, then stir-fry by tossing them with a wooden spatula for 3 to 5 minutes. Add one-half of the turmeric-soy mixture, then more if the eggplant is too dry. Transfer to a serving dish, sprinkle with the scallion, and serve.

Excerpted from True Food, Seasonable, Sustainable, Simple, Pure, copyright © 2012 by Dr. Andrew Weil. Photography courtesy of Ditte Isager. Used with permission of Little, Brown and Company, New York. All rights reserved