don't bother

When I last left you all on Monday, I was telling you how I couldn't really get the flavors right in my meals lately, and needed to reset my palate to make better decisions the next time I went into the kitchen. Well, I'm glad we have dinner plans with friends tomorrow night because I definitely didn't have my mojo back tonight.

Matty liked the eggplant, but they were entirely too sweet for my taste. That sesame-peanut mixture would have been so savory and delicious without any sugar at all. I left it out of the recipe below. I had one for observation purposes, but my tastebuds wouldn't let another one past them. On a positive note, I think it would make an excellent crust for a coconut cream pie, cilantro and all - it's that sweet.

The noodles were okay, but living on the Eastside means I can spin in any direction, walk a couple blocks and find a better pad see-ew than I made. Some things should just be left to the experts. No need to make that mistake ever again.

Sesame-Peanut Masala Eggplant with Pad See-Ew Noodles
inspired by Andrea Nguyen and Serious Eats

For the eggplant
1/2 c. toasted white sesame seeds
1 c. lightly salted roasted peanuts
1 t. ground turmeric
1 t. cayenne
1 large clove garlic, minced
1/2 c. finely chopped cilantro leaves
1 T. water
1 1/2 lbs. Thai eggplant
3 to 4 T. olive oil
1/4 c. water

For the noodles
8 oz. rice noodles
2 large eggs, beaten
2 T. sweet dark soy sauce
2 T. hoisin or oyster sauce
2 t. soy sauce
2 t. rice vinegar
1 garlic clove, minced

1. In the bowl of a food processor, combine the sesame seeds, peanuts, turmeric, cayenne, garlic and cilantro, and process until crumbly. Add the Tablespoon of water and process until the mixture looks like wet sand. Set aside.

2. Slice off the top 1/2-inch of each eggplant. With a melon baller, scoop out about a teaspoon of the eggplant flesh and reserve. Fill each hollow eggplant with the sesame-peanut mixture.

3. In a skillet large enough enough to hold all the eggplant, heat the olive oil. When the oil is shimmering, add the eggplant on its side and lightly brown on all sides. After about 3 minutes, set each on its bottom and add the 1/4 c. water. Lower the heat, cover the skillet and cook until eggplant is tender.

4. Meanwhile, bring a large pot of salted water to boil. Add the rice noodles and cook according to package instructions. When done, drain and toss with a bit of oil so the noodles don't stick together.

5. Return the pot to the heat with a little bit of olive oil. Add the reserved eggplant flesh and saute for about 5 minutes. Add the egg and scramble into large curds. Add the noodles and the sweet dark soy sauce. Toss to break up the egg and combine the sauce. Cook undisturbed for about a minute until the noodles are browned. Add the hoisin, regular soy sauce, rice vinegar and garlic and stir to combine. Cook for another 2 minutes, relatively undisturbed.

6. Portion the noodles onto serving plates and top with a few eggplant. Serve immediately.