← Nouns Cooking · Japanese

Ingredients

• 400 g aubergines (2 medium), cut into chunky wedges
• 1½ tbsp potato starch or cornflour, for coating
• 4 tbsp neutral oil, for frying the aubergine
• 1 tbsp oil, for the pork
• 200 g Minced pork
• 2 cloves Garlic, finely chopped
• 2 tsp Ginger, finely chopped
• 3 Spring onion, finely sliced, green parts kept for garnish
• 2 tsp doubanjiang (chilli bean paste)
• 200 ml chicken stock
• 1 tbsp Soy sauce
• 1 tbsp Sake
• 2 tsp Miso paste
• 1 tbsp Sugar
• 1 tbsp potato starch or cornflour, mixed with 2 tbsp water
• ½ tsp Toasted sesame oil

Method

1. Whisk the stock, soy sauce, sake, miso and sugar together. Toss the aubergine in the coating starch.
2. Heat the 4 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Fry the aubergine for 5–6 min, turning, until golden and soft right through. Lift onto a plate.
3. Add 1 tbsp fresh oil and fry the pork over high heat for 3–4 min, breaking it up, until no pink remains and it starts to crisp.
4. Lower the heat to medium, add the garlic, ginger, white spring onion and doubanjiang, and fry for 1 minute until fragrant.
5. Pour in the sauce, bring to a simmer and return the aubergine. Cook for 2 min so it soaks up the flavour.
6. Stir the slurry and pour it in, stirring for 30 seconds until thick and glossy. Finish with sesame oil and the spring onion greens, and serve with rice.

Tips

• For a vegan version, swap the pork for chopped mushrooms or rehydrated soy mince and use vegetable stock.
• Contains soy and wheat (soy sauce, miso and most doubanjiang).

Sources

Written in our own words after cross-checking these recipes:

RecipeTin Japan Pickled Plum