Day 42: Thai Eggplant

Look what I found in the market yesterday!

These Thai eggplant were so pretty, I couldn't resist. It took some effort (to say the least) to figure out how to cook them. Sources suggested standard eggplant cooked Thai-style (not what I was hoping for), eating them raw (I did ... that, ahem, might be an acquired taste), deep frying (I just couldn't bring myself) or long lists of unfamiliar and likely hard-to-find ingredients.

So ... armed with a few ideas and a big sense of adventure, I moved to the kitchen. Cooking, the eggplants remained a pretty green, the turmeric later added a yellow cast -- very pretty.

And ... yes, quite tasty, a complete, if time-consuming, Veggie Venture success. How fun, sheer fun, is can be to 'play' with your food!

Enjoy --

THAI EGGPLANT
Active time: 15 minutes
Time to table: 20 minutes
Serves 4

1 tablespoon olive oil
1 tablespoon garlic (from a jar!)
1 teaspoon fresh ginger (this, too, from a jar!)
1 pound Thai eggplant, about 16
1/4 cup water

1/4 cup low-fat coconut milk
1/2 teaspoon chili paste (see ALANNA's TIPS)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1/2 teaspoon sugar
1/2 teaspoon kosher salt

Heat oil in a medium saucepan over MEDIUM HIGH until it shimmers. Add garlic and ginger, stir and let cook about 1 minute. Meanwhile, remove stem ends from eggplant and cut in quarters. Add to pan, stir well. Add water, cover, reduce heat to MEDIUM and cook for about 10 minutes or until eggplant softens. (See TIPS.) While eggplant cooks, combine remaining ingredients. Add sauce and let simmer for about 5 minutes for flavors to blend. Taste and adjust seasoning.

NUTRITION ESTIMATE
Per Serving: 94 Cal (58% from Fat, 5% from Protein, 37% from Carb); 1 g Protein; 7 g Tot Fat; 4 g Sat Fat; 9 g Carb; 4 g Fiber; 15 mg Calcium; 0 mg Iron; 306 mg Sodium; 0 mg Cholesterol, Weight Watchers 2 points

ALANNA's TIPS

• Chili paste has bite so start with less if your family has little apprecation for heat.
  
• Since I was unfamiliar with the cooking time, I kept taste testing for doneness. Tip: the eggplant was cooked long before it looked done.