Place dried chilis in a small pot with 1 cup of water (enough to cover all the chilis) and bring it to a rolling boil. Then, cook until chili turns soft. Drain and chop chilis into tiny bits which should yield about 1 tablespoon.
Cut eggplant into 2" chunks, then heat a small tall pot with about 1 cup of oil to about 375°F (190°C).
Fry eggplant for 1 minute, remove and drain them on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
Heat a non-stick pan over medium heat with a drizzle of oil and add in the mashed tofu. Pan-fry tofu until golden brown, then push to the side of the pan.
Add another swirl of oil in the pan, and sauté chili, ginger, and garlic until aromatic, about 1 minute.
Place in the partially cooked eggplant and season with soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, michiu, and give it a quick toss to combine.
Gradually add in the water with cornstarch then stir to mix all the ingredients together.
Let the mixture simmer until the sauce is thickened and eggplant is fork-tender. Season with more salt or soy sauce if needed.
Transfer to a serving bowl and serve warm with a bowl of your favorite cooked grain.