I made this Rice Bowl dish based on my ‘Mabo Dofu Japanese Style’ recipe. As the saltiness and flavour of Miso vary with the products, please alter the amount of ingredients accordingly and make the sauce suit your taste. Eggplant should be meltingly soft and it takes time to cook it. If you are in hurry, cut it into smaller pieces.


Makes

2 Servings

Ingredients

1 medium to large Eggplant *Today it weighed about 250g
150g thinly sliced Pork Belly *cut into bite-size pieces
Oil *I used Canola Oil
1 teaspoon Potato Starch *mixed with 1 teaspoon Water
2 servings warm Cooked Rice
1 Spring Onion *finely chopped

Sauce
1 small piece Ginger *grated
1 clove Garlic *grated
1 tablespoons Miso *I used Red (dark colour) Miso
1 tablespoon Soy Sauce
1 tablespoon Mirin
1 teaspoon Sugar
1 to 2 teaspoons Toban Djan (Chilli Bean Sauce) *OR Chilli Flakes as required
1 teaspoon Sesame Oil *This is for flavour
1/2 cup Chicken Stock *OR 1/2 cup Water & 1/2 teaspoon Asian Chicken Bouillon Powder

Method
  1. Place all the Sauce ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Adjust the amount of Sugar and Soy Sauce depending on the flavour and saltiness of Miso that you use.
  2. Peel OR partially peel Eggplant and cut into bite-size pieces. Smaller pieces can be cooked quickly.
  3. Heat a small amount Oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat, and cook Pork until nicely browned. Transfer to a plate.
  4. Lower the heat to medium, add 1-2 tablespoons Oil to the pan and cook Eggplant. When Eggplant is soft, return the Pork, add the Sauce and stir to combine. Gradually add Potato Starch mixture and stir well until thickened.
  5. Half fill a bowl with warm Cooked Rice and cover it with the Eggplant mixture. Sprinkle some finely chopped Spring Onion on top and enjoy.