I shared a recipe recently on my Instagram account and it was really popular so I thought I am going to share with you guys too!
It’s Eggplant Kabayaki! Kabayaki is a type of Japanese sauce that is most commonly used for grilled eel, but I used it here for eggplant! The sweet glaze only needs four ingredients to make it, and all you do is simply combine them together- so there’s no reason not to keep it stocked up!
My husband is not a big fan of eggplant but he really enjoyed it so if you or your family member are not a fan of eggplant you might want to give it a try! Particularly because in this recipe I peel the skin of the eggplant, your kids might not even recognise it!
Eggplant Kabayaki
Serves 4
- 2 eggplants
- 2 tsp oil for cooking
- Steamed rice
Kabayaki Sauce:
- 60ml mirin
- 20ml sake
- 3 tsp unrefined sugar
- 70ml soy sauce
- Sansyo pepper – optional (Japanese pepper, similar to Sichuan pepper)
Method:
- Mix all ingredients of kabayaki sauce in a small bowl, set aside.
- Cut off and discard the tops of the eggplants. Peel the eggplants.
- Place the peeled eggplants in a steamer and steam for 5 minutes (or microwaveable bowl and cover with cling wrap. Microwave on HIGH for one minute –note: not the healthiest option)
- Place the eggplants on a cutting board and cut each horizontally into halves.
- Butterfly the eggplants, kabayaki-style. Slice each eggplant half way down the middle, without cutting all the way through. Open up the slice and make a similar slit along the half.
- Pat the eggplants with paper towel to remove excess water.
- Dust the potato starch over the eggplant.
- Heat a frying pan with 2 tsp of oil then arrange the butterflied eggplants in the pan, dusted side down. Cook until golden colour.
- Before flipping to cook the other side, dust more potato starch over the top facing side of eggplants then flip to cook.
- Pour the kabayaki sauce mixture into the pan and simmer over medium heat. Cook until the sauce has reduced to half the original amount.
- Serve with rice, extra kabayaki sauce and sansyo pepper
I enjoyed the Eggplant Kabayaki over rice and as part of a Teisyoku (Japanese set menu).
My lunch teisyoku menu included:
- Eggplant kabayaki donburi (on brown rice)
- Miso soup with Chinese broccoli
- Sliverbeet Ohitashi
- Chinese cabbage asazuke with ume vinegar
- Daikon and kuki wakame (Japanese seaweed) kinpira
Doesn’t it looking delicious!?
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Happy Japanese superfood cooking xx
