Soy-Glazed Eggplant Donburi

Ingredients

• 2 pieces Japanese or Chinese eggplants
• 1/2 tsp Fine salt (kosher or sea salt)
• 10 pieces Shiso leaves (perilla/ooba)
• 5 g Freshly grated ginger (with its juice)
• 30 g Potato starch or cornstarch
• 60 ml Neutral oil (sunflower, grapeseed)
• 60 ml Mirin
• 30 ml Soy sauce (shoyu)
• 500 g Cooked Japanese short-grain rice
• 2 g Toasted white sesame seeds

Method

1. Prepare all the ingredients. Cut the eggplants into thin lengthwise slices. Sprinkle them with salt and let stand for 15 minutes. Blot away the moisture with paper towels.
2. Wash and dry the shiso leaves. Remove the stems, roll the leaves, and cut them into thin strips (chiffonade). Set aside.
3. Peel and grate the ginger to extract the pulp and juice. Set aside.
4. Pour the starch into a shallow dish. Coat both sides of each eggplant slice, tapping off the excess.
5. Heat a large skillet over medium heat with half of the oil. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer. Cook without disturbing until the underside is nicely browned (about 3 to 4 minutes).
6. Drizzle the eggplant with the remaining oil, turn the slices, and continue cooking on the other side until equally browned (3 to 4 minutes).
7. Reduce the heat to low. Pour the mirin, soy sauce, and grated ginger into the skillet. Bring to a simmer, spooning the sauce over the eggplant. If the sauce thickens too quickly, add a little water. Remove from the heat as soon as the eggplant is well coated.
8. Divide the cooked rice between two large bowls. Spoon some of the skillet sauce over the rice. Arrange the eggplant slices, overlapping them slightly.
9. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and shiso strips. Serve immediately.

Nutrition

Per serving

Energy

747.4 kcal

Protein

9.08 g

Carbohydrate

99.66 g

Fat

31.41 g

Fibre

2.29 g

Calcium

18.16 mg

Iron

0.58 mg

Magnesium

21.81 mg