Fusion Caponata with Silken Tofu

We really loved this mixture of Sicilian and Szechuan styles from Ottolenghi: Flavor. Will definitely be preparing again.

Ingredients

• 2 medium eggplants, cut into ½-inch/1¼cm chunks (4 cups/550g)
• 1/2 cup/120ml avocado oil
• table salt
• 1 small celery stalk, chopped into ¼-inch/½cm cubes (⅓ cup/65g)
• 3 tbsp pine nuts, very well toasted
• 3 oz/80g sweet ripe cherry tomatoes, roughly chopped
• ¼ oz/20g fresh ginger, peeled and julienned
• 5-6 green onions, finely sliced (¾ cup/60g)
• 3 3/4 tsp mixed black and white sesame seeds, toasted
• ¼ cup/50g raisins
• ¼ cup/60ml soy sauce
• 7 tbsp/105ml Shaoxing wine (or pale dry sherry)
• 3 tbsp rice vinegar
• 7½ tsp maple syrup
• 3 large, mild red chiles: 2 left whole, 1 seeded and finely sliced
• 1 tbsp water
• 2 x 10½-oz/300g blocks silken tofu, each cut into 8 x ½-inch/1¼cm-thick slices
• flaked sea salt

Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 450°F/210°C fan. Line a large baking sheet with parchment paper.
2. Toss the eggplants with 5 tbsp/75ml of the sunflower oil and ¼ tsp table salt and spread out on the prepared baking sheet. Roast for 15 minutes, stir well, then add the celery and continue to roast for 15 minutes, until dark golden brown. Set aside to cool, then transfer to a large bowl with the pine nuts, tomatoes, and three-fourths each of the ginger, green onions, and sesame seeds. Set aside.
3. Put the raisins, soy sauce, Shaoxing wine, vinegar, and maple syrup into a small saucepan on medium-high heat and warm until bubbling. Set aside to soak for 10 minutes, then add to the bowl of eggplants.
4. Place a small frying pan on high heat and, once very hot, add the whole chiles and cook for about 9 minutes, turning them a few times until well charred on all sides. Set aside to cool for 5 minutes, then roughly chop them, removing the seeds if you prefer less heat. Add to the bowl of eggplants.
5. Heat the remaining 3 tbsp sunflower oil in a small saucepan until bubbling, then pour over the eggplant mixture. Add the water, gently mix everything together, and let this caponata marinate for at least 2 hours, or up to overnight.
6. Divide the tofu among four to six shallow bowls and sprinkle generously with flaked sea salt. Spoon the caponata next to the tofu, drizzling about 1 tbsp of the liquid over the whole dish. Top with the remaining ginger, green onions, sesame seeds, and sliced chiles and serve at room temperature.