• Vegan Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Snack
    • Appetizer
    • Gluten Free
  • Vegan Nutrition
    • Essential Nutrients
    • Food Groups
    • Vegan Health
    • Vegan Nutrition Articles
  • About
    • About Lettuce Veg Out
    • Meet Nicole: A Vegan Dietitian
    • The Difference between a Dietitian vs Nutritionist
  • Contact
  • Search
  • Menu
  • Skip to right header navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar

Lettuce Veg Out

Vegan Recipes and Nutrition

  • Vegan Recipes
    • Breakfast
    • Lunch
    • Dinner
    • Dessert
    • Snack
    • Appetizer
    • Gluten Free
  • Vegan Nutrition
    • Essential Nutrients
    • Food Groups
    • Vegan Health
    • Vegan Nutrition Articles
  • About
    • About Lettuce Veg Out
    • Meet Nicole: A Vegan Dietitian
    • The Difference between a Dietitian vs Nutritionist
  • Contact
  • Search

Thai Spicy Eggplant Recipe with Coconut Milk Brown Rice

Jump to Recipe Print Recipe

This Thai spicy eggplant recipe is a delicious stir fry to serve with creamy coconut milk brown rice. With the rich flavor of Thai basil, this spicy eggplant is the ultimate meal.

Thai spicy eggplant stir fry filling half a bowl with brown coconut rice in the other half

Sign up for the Veg Out newsletter to get vegan recipes and nutrition content from a Registered Dietitian!

This post contains affiliate links (including Amazon Associates) and I earn from qualifying purchases.

Types of Eggplant

There are many different types of eggplant and for this recipe, we’re using the long, skinny purple variety. This type of eggplant is often called Japanese or Chinese eggplant and is typically lighter in color compared to the dark purple skin of other eggplant varieties.

In contrast, American eggplants (also called globe eggplant) are the large, wide eggplants that many people associate with the word eggplant. Then there’s Italian eggplant, which look very similar to globe eggplants, but are typically a bit smaller in size.

Thai eggplants are actually green and can be quite bitter in flavor. While this is a Thai spicy eggplant dish, the word Thai in this recipe title refers to the type of basil we’re using.

In Thai restaurants where I live, it’s typically the lighter purple, long and skinny eggplants being used. Since this is what I’m used to and enjoy, it’s what I’m sticking with for this delicious spicy eggplant recipe.

Eggplant vs Aubergine?

Depending where you live, eggplant may be called aubergine. Both words refer to the same vegetable.

Eggplant is the common term used in Canada and the USA whereas aubergine is used in the UK and Europe more often.

If you like, you can call this a Thai spicy aubergine recipe!

Single white bowl of Thai eggplant stir fry topped with a basil leaf and half the bowl filled with coconut rice

How to Cook Thai Eggplant

Thai eggplants, or any variety of eggplant, can be tricky to cook. There are two important steps to ensure your eggplant recipe comes out perfectly:

  1. Soak the eggplant in salt water
  2. Cook thoroughly

Eggplant needs to be cooked properly otherwise it won’t taste good; it may not even taste edible without the proper preparation.

Soak the Eggplant in Salt Water

Start by slicing the eggplant. For this recipe, I cut the eggplant into wedges that are 2-3 inches long.

Place sliced eggplant into a bowl and toss it with a tablespoon of salt. It seems like a lot of salt, but it’s washed off later. The salt helps draw out the bitter compounds found in eggplant.

Cover the salted eggplant with water and soak for 20 minutes. This is a great time to prepare the other vegetables for the spicy eggplant stir fry, whisk together the sauce, and get the coconut rice cooking! 

After 20 minutes, strain away the water and rinse off the eggplant pieces. Rinse a few times to get off as much salt as possible.

If you’re making Thai green eggplant, this is a critical step to improve the bitter flavor. For sweeter eggplant varieties (globe, Italian, Japanese/ Chinese), this step is technically optional but I like to take the time to do this.

Cook the Eggplant Thoroughly

Next, you need to cook the eggplant all the way through. This means there should be no spongy areas so if you poke the eggplant with a fork, it should be completely soft.

Undercooking eggplant is the most common mistake people make when preparing eggplant recipes.

Cooking eggplant thoroughly takes a bit of time which is why for this recipe, the eggplant is cooked first then added back into to stir fry everything together.

Undercooked eggplant can be very spongy and unpleasant to eat, so make sure to cook the eggplant properly!

Two white bowls, each half full of brown coconut rice and the other half with stir fried spicy Thai eggplant, topped with green onion and Thai basil

Vegan Coconut Rice

We’re serving this delicious spicy Thai eggplant recipe with rich and creamy vegan coconut rice.

Coconut rice is the perfect pairing for a spicy stir fry dish because the strong flavors from the stir fry pair perfectly with the slightly sweet and creamy coconut rice.

If you’ve ever had coconut rice in a restaurant, you’ll know it has a slightly sweet taste, which is why we’re adding sugar to the rice as it cooks. To balance out the sweetness, salt is also needed.

Using lemongrass in coconut rice is common; however I did not include it in this recipe because I can never find lemongrass locally. If you have access to lemongrass you can toss a chunk into the coconut rice as it cooks and the bright, fresh lemongrass flavour will infuse into the rice!

You can use white rice or basmati rice to make coconut rice. The flavors and texture will be different depending on the rice you use.

Coconut Milk Brown Rice

For this recipe, I’ve decided to make a coconut milk brown rice. I typically keep lots of brown rice on hand because I enjoy the texture of it.

When it comes to making coconut rice, white rice is often used because it creates a softer texture when cooked compared to brown rice. However, if you prefer brown rice, cooking it in coconut milk is a delicious choice.

I recommend using a regular/ full fat variety of coconut milk for this recipe, otherwise the rice won’t be nearly as creamy and delicious.

Bowl of eggplant stir fry with coconut rice, topped with Thai basil and green onion

Thai Basil vs Sweet Basil/ Regular Basil

Thai basil looks and tastes different from sweet basil. Sweet basil is also called Italian basil and for most people, it’s simply the regular basil found at the store, simply labeled “basil”.

If you can find Thai basil I highly recommend using it as it has a richer flavour and takes this spicy eggplant recipe to the next level.

I have a hard time finding Thai basil in the grocery store, but every time I do, I head straight over to grab some eggplants because I know I’m making this recipe!

I have also used sweet basil in this spicy eggplant and it tastes good, just a bit less flavourful, in my opinion. Thai basil really packs a strong pungent flavour vs sweet basil which is milder. Either way, basil is a delicious herb and will elevate the taste of this dish.

I would love to hear how your Thai spicy eggplant with coconut rice turns out in the comments below! If you share your creations on social media, be sure to tag @lettucevegout because I’d love to see what you make.

You may also be interested in my quick veggie stir fry recipe, or easy vegan fried rice! If you’re a fan of Thai flavor like I am, check out my other Thai-inspired recipes.

Bowl of Thai spicy eggplant stir fry with coconut milk brown rice
Print Pin
0 from 0 votes

Thai Spicy Eggplant with Coconut Milk Brown Rice

This Thai spicy eggplant recipe is my favourite meal ever! It's full of flavour and tasty eggplant, cooked to perfection. Serve alongside some creamy coconut rice for a decadent taste experience.
Course Main Course
Cuisine Thai
Keyword Coconut Rice, Spicy Eggplant, Thai spicy eggplant
Prep Time 25 minutes
Cook Time 30 minutes
Total Time 55 minutes
Servings 4 Servings
Calories 704kcal

Equipment

  • Cutting Board
  • Knife
  • Large pan
  • Can Opener
  • Large bowl
  • Jar(s)
  • Large pot

Ingredients

Eggplant Preparation:

  • 3 medium Japanese eggplants the longer, skinnier variety
  • 1 tbsp salt

Stir Fry:

  • 4 tbsp coconut oil (divided)
  • 1 225 g package cremini mushrooms
  • 2 bell peppers I used 1 red and 1 yellow
  • 3 stalks green onion

Sauce:

  • 3-4 cloves garlic minced
  • 2 tbsp chili paste
  • ¼ C sweet chili sauce
  • ¼ C brown sugar or coconut sugar
  • 3 tsp sesame oil
  • 2 tbsp tamari
  • 1 tbsp soy sauce or more tamari for gluten free
  • 3 tsp yellow miso paste (or white miso)
  • 1 tbsp rice vinegar
  • 3 tbsp cooking sherry
  • ¼ C vegetable broth could also use water

Coconut rice:

  • 2 C brown basmati rice (or regular brown rice)
  • 1 can coconut milk (about 400mL)
  • 600 mL water
  • 3 tsp sugar
  • 1 tsp salt

Serving:

  • 1 bunch Thai basil about ½ C chopped

Instructions

Eggplant Preparation:

  • Slice the 3 eggplants into wedges and place into a bowl. Toss with a tablespoon of salt. Cover with water and let sit while you prepare the coconut rice, other ingredients for the stir fry, and the sauce.
  • After the other parts of the recipe are prepared, drain and rinse your eggplant a few times.
  • Melt 2 tbsp coconut oil into a large skillet over medium heat and add the eggplant. Let it cook until it is tender all the way through (can easily poke a fork through it with no spongy sections). This takes 15-20 minutes. Remove the eggplant from the pan and proceed to prepare the rest of the stir fry.

Stir Fry:

  • Slice the package of mushrooms, cut the 2 bell pepper into strips, and dice the 3 green onions.
  • Remove eggplant from pan and melt in the other 2 tbsp of oil. Add in the peppers, mushrooms and green onion. Cook for 5 minutes. Add in the sauce and cooked eggplant. Let simmer for at least 5 minutes, up to 15 minutes.

Sauce:

  • Whisk all the sauce ingredients together. I like to shake them in a jar. Make sure the miso paste is fully dissolved/ incorporated.

Coconut Rice:

  • Place the 2 C rice in a large pot.
  • Add in the can of coconut milk plus 600 mL water (one and a half can-fulls from the 400 mL can).
  • Bring the pot to a boil over medium-high heat, turn the heat down to a simmer, place a lid on the pot and cook for 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the rice while you prepare the rest of the meal.
  • Can use rice cooker instead of pot if you have one!

Serving:

  • Wash and slice the Thai basil and stir it into the eggplant right before serving.
  • Serve alongside the coconut rice.

Notes

Accuracy of nutrition information cannot be guaranteed (certain ingredients may not have all nutrients listed in the database); amounts may vary (and will vary depending on brands of ingredients used); all nutrition fact values rounded to the nearest whole number.

Nutrition

Serving: 1Serving (1/4 of recipe) | Calories: 704kcal | Carbohydrates: 93g | Protein: 11g | Fat: 36g | Saturated Fat: 28g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 3g | Sodium: 3226.21mg | Potassium: 1159mg | Fiber: 14g | Sugar: 43g | Vitamin A: 1961IU | Vitamin C: 109mg | Calcium: 86mg | Iron: 4mg

Join the Community for Vegan Recipes

 

This is an updated post: Original post date July 2017. 

Filed Under: Vegan and Gluten Free Recipes, Vegan Dinner Recipes, Vegan Recipes Tagged With: Coconut milk, Thai, Vegetables

Previous Post: «Three bowls of vegan chow mein noodles with vegetables topped with sesame seed Vegan Chow Mein Recipe | Noodles and Sauce
Next Post: Vegan Raspberry Cheesecake Recipe | Vegan Cheesecake Bites Vegan raspberry cheesecake with piece cut out, topped with fresh raspberries and mint leaf»

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Mary Ann

    August 28, 2017 at 7:30 pm

    You mention green onion, but it wasn’t included in your ingredient list. Not sure how much to use.

    Reply
    • Nicole Stevens

      September 13, 2017 at 11:03 am

      Hi Mary Ann, Thank you for noticing this. I’ve updated the recipe to include 4 green onions!

      Reply

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Recipe Rating




Primary Sidebar

Search Vegan Recipes and Nutrition Articles

About Lettuce Veg Out

Vegan registered dietitian Nicole Stevens MScFN

Welcome to Lettuce Veg Out, a vegan recipe and nutrition website created by Nicole Stevens, MSc, RD. As a vegan Registered Dietitian, I empower vegans to live a balanced life and gain confidence in the kitchen. Read More

Latest Vegan Recipes

One glass mason jar of powder-free, high protein apple cinnamon smoothie with some of its ingredients around the jar, including two cinnamon sticks, half an avocado and spinach leaves

Green Apple Cinnamon Smoothie | Vegan Protein Smoothie without Powder

Two bowls and one plate of vegan hamburger helper, served and ready to eat. A small glass jar of green onion is sitting in the middle and could be used to garnish.

Vegan Hamburger Helper Recipe | Dairy Free, Without Meat

Two plates of vegan oat flour pancakes with blueberries, bananas and maple syrup. The closest plate of pancakes is stacked tall with syrup dripping from the top onto all other pancakes beneath it.

Vegan Oat Flour Pancakes with Flaxseed | Dry Mix and Batter Recipe

See More Recipes →

Site Footer

Member of the Nutrition Blog Network

Get Weekly Vegan Recipes

Privacy Policy

Disclaimer

Terms of Service

© 2016-2020 Lettuce Veg Out
We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. Please accept cookies for optimal performance.Accept and CloseMore Info