Beef and Eggplant Stirfry

• 0.5 lbs beef (or chicken or pork) - use a good tender cut of beef
• 1 asian or baby eggplant
• 2" piece of fresh ginger, minced
• 1 small onion or shallot
• 1 poblano pepper
• 2-3 garlic cloves, minced
• 2 tbsp. fresh chopped mint
• 3 tbsp. soy sauce
• 1 tsp. sambal olek (or hot chilli pepper of your choice)
• juice of 1 lime
• 1/2 tsp sugar
• oil for cooking

Cut the beef into strips. For best results, marinate the meat in advance using some of the sauce (soy sauce, sambal olek, lime juice, salt).

Prepare the veggies: cut the eggplant into strips or cut into 1/4 inch rounds, chop peppers, onions, garlic and ginger.

Whisk together sauce: soy sauce, lime juice, lime zest, sambal olek, mint, and half the minced garlic and ginger, plus 2 tbsp. water.

Heat oil in a non-stick skillet (or wok) over medium high. Working in two batches to avoid overcrowding the pan, cook eggplant until it is golden brown, 2-3 minutes per side. Transfer to a bowl.

Add more oil to the pan and heat until it is very hot. Add the beef and turn over once or twice until it is nicely seared medium-rare (about 3 mins). Transfer to the bowl with the cooked eggplant.

Cook the remaining garlic, ginger, onions, and peppers over medium-high heat in the same pan.

Return beef and eggplant to pan, add sauce and stir until all is coated.

Serve over your choice of rice, noodles, or a bed of fresh chopped lettuce.