Vegan Eggplant Unagi Bowl

Directions

  1. 1Peel the eggplant completely.
  2. 2Steam the eggplant until soft.
  3. 3Cut the eggplant so the surface becomes flat.
  4. 4Lightly coat one side of the eggplant with flour.
  5. 5Prepare the sauce by combining soy sauce, mirin, sugar, water, and dashi powder in a bowl.
  6. 6Heat oil in a pan and pan-sear both sides of the eggplant until golden.
  7. 7Remove the eggplant from the pan and wipe off the excess oil.
  8. 8Add the prepared sauce to the same pan and simmer on low heat until it slightly thickens.
  9. 9Return the eggplant to the pan and coat it well with the sauce.
  10. 10Serve the eggplant over warm rice and top with sesame seeds and green onions.

Ingredients

  • 1 eggplant
  • 2 bowls warm cooked rice
  • as needed Flour
  • 2 tbsp oil
  • Toasted sesame seeds
  • green onions
  • 2 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp mirin
  • 1 tbsp sugar
  • 1 tbsp water
  • 1 tsp dashi powder

Equipment

knifepeelercutting boardsteamerpanchopsticksbowl

Tips

  • The sauce works great for tofu stir-fries too.
  • With a bit of technique, you can create an unagi-like texture, and adding sansho pepper makes the flavor even closer.
  • This dish is recommended even for people who don’t like fish.