Thai-Style, Spicy Eggplant-Mushroom Sauce

Here’s a plant-based Thai dish that eats like a main course and asks for nothing more.

Mushrooms get simmered in stock until deeply browned, then a sauce comes together from shallots, garlic, Thai chili paste, and rice milk with a touch of plum sauce and sesame oil for complexity.

Cubed eggplant, chopped asparagus stems, and red bell pepper braise in that fragrant liquid until meltingly tender.

The mushrooms go back in at the end with a generous handful of fresh basil leaves that wilt into the sauce.

Spoon it over grilled polenta or steamed rice with the asparagus tips alongside.

Kitchen Tips

• Use rice milk instead of coconut milk for a lighter sauce that lets the vegetables take center stage
• Go easy on the sesame oil; just a few drops add incredible depth without overwhelming everything else
• Cut the eggplant into uniform cubes so it cooks evenly and turns silky throughout
• This sauce thickens as it sits, so add a splash of stock when reheating leftovers

Variations

• Swap the polenta for rice noodles or crispy fried tofu for a different base
• Add a squeeze of lime juice at the end for extra brightness
• Stir in a spoonful of peanut butter for a richer, creamier variation