Stir-Fried Shrimp with Garlicky Eggplant, Scallions, and Cashews

This is a really good shrimp stir-fry dish with a ridiculously long name:  Stir-fried Shrimp with Garlicky Eggplant, Scallions, and Cashews.  The recipe is from Cooks Illustrated.  Maybe that day they were just out of brainstorms for a shorter name or something.  I call it Shrimp and Eggplant Stir-fry.  I think that is good enough.

Shrimp and Eggplant Stir-fry
aka Stir-fried Shrimp with Garlicky Eggplant, Scallions, and Cashews
adapted from Cooks Illustrated

Serves 4
Serve over brown rice.

6 medium garlic cloves, 1 minced or pressed through garlic press, 5 thinly sliced
1 pound extra-large (21-25) shrimp, peeled, deveined, and tails removed
3 tablespoons vegetable oil
1/2 teaspoon table salt
2 tablespoons soy sauce (I use low-sodium Tamari)
2 tablespoons oyster sauce
2 tablespoons dry sherry or Shaoxing wine
2 tablespoons sugar
1 tablespoon toasted sesame oil
1 tablespoon white vinegar (I use rice vinegar)
1/8 teaspoon red pepper flakes
2 teaspoons cornstarch
6 large scallions, greens cut into 1-inch pieces and whites sliced thin
1/2 cup cashews, unsalted
1 medium eggplant (about 3/4 pound), cut into 3/4-inch dice

Combine minced garlic with shrimp, 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, and salt in medium bowl. Let shrimp marinate at room temperature 30 minutes.  Depending on your particular brown rice (regular, instant, etc.) start your rice as appropriate.

Meanwhile, whisk soy sauce, oyster sauce, sherry, sugar, sesame oil, vinegar, red pepper flakes, and cornstarch in small bowl. Combine sliced garlic with scallion whites and cashews in another small bowl.  Heat 1 tablespoon oil in 12-inch nonstick skillet or a wok over high heat until just smoking. Add eggplant and cook, stirring frequently, until lightly browned, 3 to 6 minutes. Add scallion greens and continue to cook until scallion greens begin to brown and eggplant is fully tender, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Transfer vegetables to medium bowl.

Heat remaining tablespoon oil to now-empty skillet/wok. Add cashew mixture and cook, stirring frequently, until just beginning to brown, about 30 seconds. Add shrimp, reduce heat to medium-low, and cook, stirring frequently, until shrimp are light pink on both sides, 1 to 1½ minutes. Whisk soy sauce mixture to recombine and add to skillet/wok.  Return to high heat and cook, stirring constantly, until sauce is thickened and shrimp are cooked through, 1 to 2 minutes. Return vegetables to skillet, toss to combine, and serve. 
Printable Recipe

Besides the marinating, which you have to remember in advance, this recipe is really quite fast and makes for a great weekday meal!  The flavors really compliment each other well!