Eggplant Stir Fry with Homemade Rice-A-Roni

Peel eggplant and cut into chunks. Place eggplant into a bowl and marinate with 2 tablespoons of salt for 10 minutes.

Mince the ginger and green onions and slice the garlic. Dice the beef and set aside.

Place marinated eggplant on a paper towel and remove excess liquid. Heat olive oil in a pan on medium-high heat. Fry eggplant until golden brown and remove. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil and sauté the beef, then add in chili sauce, ginger, garlic and green onions. Stir to combine and return eggplant to the pan. In a small bowl, mix together sugar, balsamic vinegar, and soy sauce, and pour mixture over the eggplant. Season with salt and white pepper, sauté for another 3 minutes, then transfer to a plate.

Melt butter in a pan over medium-high heat and fry broken spaghetti until golden brown. Add in white rice, the cinnamon stick, and bay leaves, and stir to combine. Pour in water, bring to a simmer and cover the pan. Cook on low heat for 20-25 minutes, until all of the liquid is absorbed, then fluff the rice with a fork. Place Rice-A-Roni and eggplant stir-fry on a plate, top with chopped parsley, and serve.