Loaves n Dishes: NOODLES with SPICY PEANUT EGGPLANT

It seems that quite often when I make something with peanut sauce, I have peanut sauce left over. Back when I made this salad, I made these simple noodles; and when I recently made this pizza, I had quite a lot of peanut sauce remaining.

When I saw these pretty little fellas in the market I knew just what I would be doing with my left over peanut sauce.

I love how eggplants snuggle up together.

These are Graffiti eggplant, but any small variety of eggplant will do.

Creamy eggplants are the perfect with boldly flavored sauces.

I like my eggplant spicy, but it doesn’t have to be spicy if that's not your thing. Some people, like my dad, are really sensitive to spicy heat. Something that is barely on my hot radar, burns my dad as though he’s eaten a habanero pepper, seeds and all. His face goes red, he starts to sweat, and he speaks unintelligibly, which we translate as “Get me some milk before my face burns off.”

Speaking of spicy eggplant, have you had the Spicy Eggplant at PF Chang’s…so yummy! That’s kinda what inspired this dish, although PF Chang’s eggplant is not in peanut sauce.

This dish goes together super quick, I think the longest part of the recipe is waiting for the pasta water to come to a boil.

I made this for two, but I made a little extra so that I could have left over’s because I knew it would be so good that I would want it again and again. I have to say that I was really, really sad when my Noodles with Spicy Peanut Eggplant were all gone : (

Here’s what you do.

Put a large pot of water on to boil for the spaghetti, by the time the ingredients are prepped it should be boiling.

You can buy toasted sesame seeds; but if your sesame seeds are not toasted, then start by toasting them in a dry skillet. Keep a close eye on them.

Just use the skillet that you will cook the eggplant in, no need for extra dishes!

Cut the eggplant and red bell pepper into about 1 inch pieces.

Cut a couple of scallions into 1 inch pieces and separate the white and light green parts from the dark green.

Once everything is prepped the dish goes really quick.
Put the skillet back over medium-high heat to get good and hot.

As soon as the skillet is hot, drop the spaghetti into the boiling water which has been generously salted.

Set the time for 2 minutes less than the directions state. I like firm pasta, so I set my timer for 8 minutes.

Add a couple of tablespoons of canola oil to the skillet and add the eggplant and bell pepper.

After the eggplant has been cooking for a couple of minutes and is browned on 2 sides add just the white and light green parts of the scallions as well as some bamboo shoots.

Cook while stirring occasionally for another 3 to 5 minutes, until the eggplant is browned.

The bamboo shoots are optional, I had some left over from when I made Thai Pizza, so I added them.

Now the spaghetti should be ready to drain.

Remove 1 cup of the water to use in the sauce and drain the pasta.

Turn the heat down just slightly between medium and medium-high heat.

Add the cooked noodles, peanut sauce and 1/2 cup of the reserved pasta water to the skillet.

Give it a toss; stir and cook until the noodles have finished cooking, adding more pasta water to loosen the sauce if needed.

Toss in the remaining dark green parts of the scallions, some cilantro leaves (save a few leaves for garnish), and half of the sesame seeds.

Remove to a serving dish and sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds and cilantro leaves over the top and garnish with a couple of lime wedges.

NOODLES with SPICY PEANUT EGGPLANT

2 very generous servings

½ lb. Spaghetti pasta

1 cup Reserved pasta cooking water

2 Tbsp. Canola oil

½ lb. Small eggplant such as Graffiti or Japanese, cut into 1 inch cubes

½ Red Bell pepper, cut into 1 inch pieces

2 Scallions, cut 1 inch long, keep the white and light green together, separate from the darker green; divided use

½ cup Bamboo shoots (optional)

¾ cup Peanut sauce, jarred or homemade it's up to you(spicy or not is up to you)

1/3 cup Cilantro leaves

1 Tbsp. Sesame seeds, toasted

2 Lime wedges

This goes pretty quickly, so have everything prepared.

1. Bring a large pot of water up to a boil.

2. Put a large skillet on to heat over medium high-heat.

3. Once the skillet is hot, drop the spaghetti into the large pot of boiling water that has been generously salted. Set the timer for 2 minutes less than the spaghetti package directions state. When the time is up, reserve 1 cup of the pasta water and then drain the pasta.

4. While the pasta is cooking, add the oil to the skillet and add the eggplant, and bell pepper; cook for about 2 minutes, and then add the white and light green part of the scallions as well as the bamboo shoots. Cook and stir until the eggplant is browned, 3 to 5 minutes longer.

5. Reduce the heat just a little (between medium and medium-high) and add the cooked spaghetti, peanut sauce, the remaining dark green part of the scallions, the cilantro (reserve a few leaves for garnish), half of the sesame the seeds, and ½ cup of the reserved pasta water. Cook and stir until the pasta is cooked to your liking, add more of the pasta water if needed to thin out the sauce.

6. Remove to a serving dish and garnish with the remaining cilantro leaves, sesame seeds, and the lime wedges.