Eggplant Unagi
You Already Know, Simple Ingredients:
- 3 Japanese eggplants (long skinny shaped eggplants, but you can also modify with the more rounded gourd shaped eggplants)
- neutral oil (vegetable works fine) for a light fry and to help eggplant not stick to the pan from the caramelized 'unagi' sauce
- 1/2 cup soy sauce
- 1/2 cup oyster sauce
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp mirin
- (OPTIONAL) sesame seeds & green onion for topping
Directions: 1. Cut eggplants in half to create 6 unagi sized portions. 2. Steam eggplants for 30 min until tender. You should be able to easily puncture the skin with a fork. 3. Let eggplants cool enough to gently peel off the skin. Filet or flatten eggplants enough to create an unagi-like shape. Score the flesh without cutting all the way through to add texture for sauce to carmelize into. 4. Add light oil to low medium heat pan, so thaat the sauce does not burn. In a separate container mix say sauce, mirin, oyster sauce, sugar, and sesame oil together. 5. Place your 'unagi' eggplant filets into the pan without crowding. Brush the sauce onto one side of each filet. Turn over and repeat to the other side. Let each eggplant cook for about 2 min. each before flipping and re-glazing each filet. Repeat until sauce the mixture is complelety used up or until eggplants are carmelized and darkened. 6. Plate over a bed of hot white rice & pair with your favorite sides. Pictured are my favorite quick homemade pickled cucumbers.