A dish of Eggplant that is fried and marinated in Ponzu Sauce is one of my favourite. Today I cooked it with Chicken in a frying pan, and made it into a rice bowl as I always eat it with rice. Today I accidentally added more Chilli than I intended to add, but the dish was actually enjoyably spicy. The meltingly soft Eggplant in the sweet, sour and spicy sauce was delicious.

Makes

1 Serving

Ingredients

120g Eggplant
120g Chicken Thigh Fillet
Salt & White Pepper
1 tablespoon Oil
1 serving warm Cooked Rice
Shichimi (Japanese Chilli Spice Mix) *optional
Finely chopped Spring Onion *optional

Sauce
2 tablespoons Ponzu *OR 1 tablespoon Soy Sauce & 1 tablespoon Rice Vinegar
1 tablespoon Mirin
1 teaspoon Sugar
Chilli Flakes as required
*Note: You may wish to add some grated Garlic OR grated Ginger.

Method
  1. Cut Eggplant into bite-size pieces, place in a bowl, cover with water, and set aside. *Note: Soaking in water it to stop Eggplant turning brown, and it is optional.
  2. Cut Chicken into bite-size pieces, and lightly season with Salt & White Pepper.
  3. Combine all the Sauce ingredients in a small bowl. Alter the amount of Sugar to suit your taste.
  4. Heat Oil in a small frying pan over medium high heat, cook Chicken pieces until slightly browned. *Note: Cover with a lid to reduce the splatter if you wish to do so.
  5. Drain Eggplant and add to the pan, stir to mix, cover with a lid, reduce heat to medium, and cook for a minute. Remove the lid and toss and stir, cover with the lid again, and cook for a minute. Repeat this until Eggplant is soft.
  6. Remove the lid, add the Sauce, stir to combine, and cook until the Sauce thickens.
  7. Half fill a bowl with warm Cooked Rice, cover it with the Chicken and Eggplant mixture, sprinkle with some Shichimi and finely chopped Spring Onion if you like, and enjoy.