THAI-STYLE~ SPICY EGGPLANT-MUSHROOM SAUCE

      Title: THAI-STYLE~ SPICY EGGPLANT-MUSHROOM SAUCE
  Categories: Thai, Digest
       Yield: 1 Servings
  
     1/2 lb Mushrooms
       1 md Shallot
       2 md Garlic cloves
     1/2 ts Hunan style red chili paste
   1 1/2 c  Rice milk or milk
            -substitute
       1 lb Eggplant
       1 md Red bell pepper
     1/2 c  Chopped asparagus stems
            -(originally this was peas)
     1/2 c  Fresh basil leaves
       2 ts Sugar
     1/2 ts Plum sauce
     1/2 ts Ginger
     1/4 c  Veggie stock
       2    3 drops toasted sesame oil
       2 ts Tapioca flour (see note)
  
   Mince garlic and shallot; quarter mushrooms, dice eggplant into 1-inch
   cubes and slice red bell pepper into long strips.
   
   In a large frying pan, on medium head add stock and mushrooms. Simmer
   for 5 minutes or until mushrooms are tender and brown. Remove
   mushrooms and set aside. In remaining stock add shallot and garlic,
   sautee for 1-2 minutes. Add chili paste and milk.  Bring mixture to a
   boil then reduce heat and simmer on low for 5 minutes, stirring
   often. Add sugar, plum sauce and sesame oil (only a few drops!  It's
   amazing the flavor it adds). Add eggplant, asparagus stems and red
   bell pepper. Bring mixture back up to a boil.  Cover and simmer for
   15 minutes stirring occasionally until eggplant and asparagus are
   tender. In the last 5 minutes add mushrooms and fresh basil leaves.
   
   Serve over grilled polenta (recipe follows) or rice and the steamed
   asparagus tips.
   
   Note: When I made this recipe I felt that the sauce was too thin. The
   original recipe called for coconut milk and olive oil as the sauce's
   base. How I remedied this problem was as follows: I removed all the
   vegetables from the pan using a slotted spoon and turned the heat
   down to the lowest setting.  I placed them in the serving bowl and
   set aside. In a measuring cup I added 1/3 cup cold water and 2
   heaping teaspoons of tapioca flour (not pearls).  Once this was
   thoroughly mixed I poured it into the sauce while stirring with the
   slotted spoon. In less than a minute the sauce had thickened very
   nicely.  I then poured the sauce into the bowl over the vegetables
   and served. It was pleasantly spicy (go light on the red chili paste
   if you dislike REALLY hot foods) and filling.
   
   Note2:  if you wanted to be more authentic you could try adding some
   coconut extract...
   
   From: J. Ari Kornfeld . Fatfree Digest
   [Volume 8 Issue 54] June 15, 1994. Formatted by Sue Smith, S.Smith34,
   TXFT40A@Prodigy.com using MMCONV
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