stir fry
healthy recipes
quick + easy
vegetarian
vegetables
spicy
dinner

"This is a fully plant-based dinner," says New York Times bestselling author Dr. Ian Smith. "It is a spicy vegetable stir fry, and you're going to love it!" The recipe, from his new book, Plant Power, couldn't be faster or easier—or more satisfying. "Once you have this," he adds, "you are not going to miss meat. It's so full of flavor, it's hearty and—oh, my goodness—it just tastes so good!" 

For more recipes from Dr. Ian, check out his Easy Chicken Pasta and Honey Soy Glazed Salmon.

Ingredients

  • 1 small eggplant (about 12 ounces), cut into 1-inch cubes
  • Kosher salt
  • ¼ cup reduced-sodium soy sauce
  • 2 tablespoons fresh lime juice
  • 1 tablespoon light brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons sunflower or grapeseed oil
  • 1 small red onion, thinly sliced lengthwise
  • 1 serrano chili, thinly sliced crosswise
  • 1 clove garlic, minced
  • 1 bunch broccolini (about 8 ounces), coarsely chopped
  • 1 yellow or orange bell pepper, stemmed, seeded and thinly sliced
  • ½ cup basil leaves, roughly torn
  • Steamed rice, for serving

Yield

Serves: 4

Preparation

Put the eggplant in a colander, sprinkle with salt, and let stand for 15 minutes. 

In a small bowl, whisk together the soy sauce, lime juice, and brown sugar until dissolved.  

Heat the oil in a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium heat until just beginning to smoke.  

Add the onion and chili and cook, stirring constantly, until softened and beginning to brown, 3 to 4 minutes.  

Add the garlic and eggplant and stir vigorously until the eggplant is browned on the sides and getting soft, about 5 minutes.  

Add the broccolini and peppers and cook, stirring frequently, until the peppers have softened and begin to wilt and the broccolini stems are crisp-tender, 6 to 8 minutes. 

Pour in the soy mixture and toss until the liquid is simmering, thickens, and glazes the vegetables lightly. Remove from the heat and stir in the basil. Transfer to a shallow bowl and serve hot with rice. 

Excerpted from Plant Power by Ian K. Smith, M.D. Copyright © 2022 by Ian K. Smith, M.D. Used with permission by St. Martin's Press. All rights reserved.