STIR-FRIED BRINJAL WITH SESAME SEEDS

“Toasted sesame seeds always add an extra special something to a dish; not only do they offer little nibbles of crunch, they also pack a punch of nutty flavour that is unique to these tiny morsels. Here we have soft brinjal stir-fried in a rich, dark, aromatic sauce with a subtle sour note and rich umami taste, amped to the next level by a liberal sprinkling of sesame seeds.”

Serves 2 to 3

EASY

GREAT VALUE Preparation: 10 minutes Cooking: 15 minutes

sesame seeds 2T light soya sauce 1T dark soya sauce ½T rice vinegar 1T rice wine 1T sugar ½T cornflour 1t oil 2T garlic 2 cloves, roughly chopped fresh ginger 1 T grated spring onions 2, halved and thinly sliced lengthways green bird’s-eye chilli 1, thinly sliced large brinjals 2, cut into bite-sized pieces water 4T sesame oil 1t

1 Heat a dry, non-stick pan over a medium-high heat and toast the sesame seeds until lightly browned and fragrant. Transfer to a bowl and set to one side.

2 In a bowl, combine the light and dark soya sauces, rice vinegar, rice wine, sugar and cornflour and mix well. Set to one side. 3 Heat a wok over a medium-high heat and add the oil, garlic, ginger and spring onions and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant. Add the chilli and fry for a further 30 seconds before adding the brinjal and frying for a further minute. 4 Add the water and reduce the heat to a simmer. After 10 minutes, increase the heat, add the soya sauce mixture and combine well. Continue cooking over a medium-high heat to reduce the liquid by half. Transfer to a serving plate, drizzle with the sesame oil and sprinkle with the sesame seeds. DAIRY-FREE, MEAT-FREE

WINE: Woolworths Cool Climate Sauvignon Blanc 2019 garlic 2 cloves, crushed fresh ginger 2 slices vegetable stock 3 cups soya sauce 3T chilli powder ¼t dried ramen noodles 2 nests toasted sesame seeds 2T spring onions 2, finely chopped

1 To prepare the tofu, dry the cubes using kitchen paper, then put into a bowl and coat with the cornflour. 2 Heat a non-stick pan over a medium-high heat, add the oil and fry until golden brown. Add the garlic and fry for 30 seconds until fragrant, then stir in the sweet chilli sauce. Once all the ingredients are combined, remove from the heat.

3 Heat the oil in a large saucepan over a medium-high heat, add the garlic and ginger and fry for 30 seconds. Add the stock, soya sauce and chilli powder. Bring to the boil, then turn down to a simmer while you cook the noodles. 4 Cook the ramen noodles in a saucepan of boiling water for 3 minutes until tender; drain and transfer to serving bowls. Pour the soup over the noodles, arrange the chilli tofu pieces on top and finally sprinkle