This is based on a dish I ate at Shofama. I have untraditionally paired it with brown rice as I like its nutty flavour with the meaty eggplant dish.
Brown
| 250 g | Brown rice, soaked 20 minutes in plenty of cold water, well drained (Main) |
| 500 ml | Water |
Eggplant and pork
| 3 Tbsp | Vegetable oil |
| 700 g | Eggplants, ends cut off, eggplant cut into 2cm by 8cm sticks (Main) |
| 3 cm | Ginger, thinly sliced |
| 500 g | Pork mince, free range (Main) |
| 4 cloves | Garlic, finely chopped |
| 4 Tbsp | Dark soy sauce, Japanese, naturally brewed |
| 2 tsp | Chilli paste, or sambal oelek |
| 4 Tbsp | Miso paste, pale brown (Main) |
| 1 tsp | Sugar |
| 250 ml | Water |
| 2 Tbsp | Black rice vinegar |
| 2 tsp | Cornflour, dissolved in 1 Tbsp cold water |
| 2 | Spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal |
| 1 Tbsp | Sesame oil |
Directions
Brown rice
- Put drained rice in a small saucepan and add the water.
- Bring to the boil, cover, move the rice to the smallest element, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook without uncovering for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and stand without uncovering for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff up rice with a fork. Cover. It will stay hot.
Eggplant and pork
- Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or frying pan over moderate to high heat. Add the eggplant and ginger and stir-fry until the eggplant is well browned. Remove from the wok and reserve.
- Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok, turn the heat up high and add the pork and garlic. Stir-fry, breaking up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until dry and browned, then add the soy sauce, chilli paste, miso, sugar, vinegar and water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
- Uncover, add the reserved eggplant to the pan, mix well and stir in the cornflour mixture. Add the spring onions, reserving a few for serving. Mix well.
- Serve sprinkled with the sesame oil and spring onions, with rice on the side.