• 4-6 Chinese or Japanese eggplants (these are long and slender-HFSs or Chinese groceries will have them)
• 1 t chopped fresh ginger
• 1 T chopped fresh garlic( I use 4-6 cloves, as I really like garlic)
• 1 T Hot bean paste (available from Chinese groceries-check label to make sure it has no added oil-most don't)
• 2 T soysauce (adjust down for sodium restriction)
• 1 t sugar (or sucanat)
• 1 t salt (again, adjust for low sodium version)
• 1/2 cup soup stock or water
• 1 T chopped green onion

On low heat, cook garlic, ginger, and hot bean paste for a minute, then add salt, sugar, soysauce and stock/water. Return eggplant to the pan and cook for about five minutes until garlic is soft and a sauce forms. If sauce is too thin, thicken with 1t corn starch mixed with 2t water.

• 1 package mu shu pancakes (check these for fat content first)
• a few wood ear or cloud ear mushrooms, soaked in hot water for 30 minutes and then cut into thin strips
• 2 cloves garlic, minced
• 1 large onion, cut into very thin wedges
• 1 small head green cabbage, finely shredded
• 1 small carrot, shredded
• 4 oz can mushrooms, drained (or equivalent fresh, sauteed in water)
• 3-4 green onions, cut into 2 inch pieces
• Soy sauce or tamari to taste
• Hoisin sauce

In a large wok or skillet, saute the garlic and onions for three minutes in a little water or vegetable broth. Add the cabbage, carrot and mushrooms and saute until cabbage just wilts. Add the green onions, soy sauce (about 1-2 tbsp is good) and about 1 tbsp of hosin sauce. Heat through.

Place one pancake in the microwave for 10 seconds (helps to make them more pliable). Remove and spread with a tbsp of hosin sauce, and then about 1/2 cup of the mu shu mixture. Fold the bottom of the pancake up about 1/4 of the way, then fold the two sides in. I sort of roll them, actually, so it is easier to eat.

You could also add some julienne strips of tofu or any other vegetables you like (i.e., bean sprouts, celery, water chestnuts, bamboo shoots, etc.).

• 1 package eggroll wrappers or ravioli wrappers.
• 1.5 lbs eggplant
• 3 cloves garlic
• 1/4 cup soy sauce or tamari sauce
• 1/2 c scallions chopped coarsly
• 1/2 tsp mustard
• 1 tsp paprika ( the hotter the better)
• 1 tsp ginger

Bake for about 1 hour. The eggplant should give to the touch. Take the eggplant out of the oven and allow to cool. While they are cooling mix the rest of the ingredients in a bowl to make a marinade.

When the eggplant is cool, they should be a bit shriveled. With a spoon, scoop Out the insides into the marinade. Let sit for at least 15 minutes.

Pour the eggplant and marinade into a food processor to puree for about 30 seconds. The result should look totally inedible. :-)

Fill a large stock pan with about 1.5 inches of water and set on the stove to boil.

If you are using wonton wrappers or ravioli wrappers you can skip this step. Take out two eggroll wrappers and cut in even quarters.

Place out about 8 wrapper pieces on a flat clean surface like a cutting board. Spoon about 1/2 teaspoon of the eggplant puree into the middle of each wrapper. Dip your fingers into a bowl of water and run along two opposite edges of a wrapper or along all four edges. Take one corner and fold it over to the opposite corner forming a triangle. Carefully press the wet edges together to form a seal. Place the triangular ravioli onto a rack to dry a bit and repeat the process with the other seven wrappers.

If you put too much filling in a wrapper, it will ooze out the edge. Just make sure you press firmly on that edge to force the filling out all the way. You want the wrapper edges touching each other so they will form a seal.

If you have a ravioli press, as sold at Chinese supply stores, follow the directions given with the press.

After filling eight raviolis, turn them over on the drying rack and repeat the process with eight more.

At this point, your water should be at a rolling boil and you can carefully add the raviolis. First stir the water in a circular motion with a slotted spoon. Place one ravioli on the spoon and carefully lower it into the water. Continue stirring until the ravioli starts to float. Add another ravioli. Don't add so many raviolis that they crowd each other in the pan. They should not touch each other while cooking or they might cook together.

The raviolis are cooked when they float easily and are somewhat transparent. The eggplant mixture will spread in the wrapper a bit but should not seep out if they were sealed well.

As they reach the floating stage, carefully lift the raviolis out of the water with the slotted spoon and move them back to the drying rack.