Chinese Eggplant over Cauliflower 'Rice' with Red Chard

Twice cooking this eggplant yields a finish that practically melts in your mouth. First, pan frying each slice then braising them in a slightly sweet & spicy sauce is one of the best ways to eat this otherwise fibrous vegetable.
My cauliflower 'rice' is called as such because there is no actual rice. Instead the cauliflower is pulsed into tiny, rice-like pieces and cooked until tender, just like rice. 

Tender eggplant coated in a quick sauce of soy, sambal, mirin and chinese black bean sauce served over cauliflower rice with red chard and loads of garlic.


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Chinese Eggplant
serves 2-3
1 large eggplant, peeled, 1/4" slices
salt
1/4 cup water
2 tbl soy sauce
2 tbl chinese black bean sauce
1 tbl mirin
1 tbl palm sugar (or organic brown sugar)
1 tsp sambal or any chile paste
1/2 tsp toasted sesame oil
1/4 cup rice flour or cornstarch
canola oil, for frying
2 tbl minced fresh basil

Lightly salt the eggplant slices and let sit on a paper towel for 10 minutes to allow excess moisture to drain out.
Combine the water, soy sauce, black bean sauce, mirin, palm sugar, sambal and sesame oil in a bowl and set aside.
Pat the eggplant slices dry and lightly coat in rice flour.
Heat a large saute pan with a thin layer of oil and pan fry the eggplant, in batches if necessary until browned and tender. Adding more oil to the pan if necessary. Drain the eggplant on a paper towel and wipe the saute pan clean.
Reduce the heat to medium low and add the sauce. Submerge all of the eggplant back in the pan and simmer for 5-7 minutes until the sauce has thickened and the eggplant practically falls apart.
Serve over cauliflower rice and garnish with fresh basil.

Cauliflower Rice
1 head cauliflower, just the florets, all stems removed
2 tbl extra virgin olive oil
1 tsp toasted sesame oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 bunch red chard, roughly chopped
salt

Pulse the cauliflower in a food processor into small rice-like bits and set aside.
Saute the garlic and red chard in both oils until the chard has completely wilted down.
Add the cauliflower and season with salt to taste.
Saute over medium for 7-10 minutes until the cauliflower is tender but not mushy.