Eggplant "Unagi"

User Reviews

4.8

75 reviews
Excellent
  • Prep Time

    5 mins

  • Cook Time

    5 mins

  • Total Time

    30 mins

  • Servings

    2

  • Calories

    209 kcal

  • Course

    Side Dish

  • Cuisine

    Japanese

Eggplant "Unagi"

This eggplant unagi (or rather, “unagi”) is indeed reminiscent of a Japanese eel, with a similar sweet, savory sauce. But instead of eel, the main event is eggplant!

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Ingredients

Servings
  • 1 pound Japanese or Chinese eggplant (about 2-3 eggplants)
  • 2-3 tablespoons vegetable oil
  • 2 teaspoons light soy sauce
  • 1 tablespoon mirin
  • 2 tablespoons water
  • 1/2 teaspoon dark soy sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon oyster sauce
  • 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce
  • 1/4 - 1/2 teaspoon sugar (to taste)
  • 1 scallion (chopped)
  • Steamed rice (for serving)
  • 1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds
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Instructions

  1. Peel the eggplants, and slice them in half crosswise, so you have thick pieces that are about 6 inches (15 cm) long. Place the pieces in a heatproof dish.
  2. Boil water in your steamer (or your wok with a bamboo steamer, or even just a pan with a steamer rack and lid. Read more about how to set up a steamer). Steam the eggplant over medium heat for 16-18 minutes, until a knife pierces through the eggplant easily.
  3. After they’ve been steamed and are cool enough to handle, slice the steamed eggplants in half lengthwise, but not all the way through! Open each piece up like a book. Use two forks to open up the flesh of the eggplant even more. This creates more surface area for the sauce you’ll braise it in later.
  4. Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a nonstick skillet over medium high heat. Pan-fry the eggplant on both sides until golden brown on each side. (If you need additional oil, you can add 1 more tablespoon).
  5. Meanwhile, combine the light soy sauce, mirin, water, dark soy sauce, oyster sauce, fish sauce, and sugar in a small bowl.
  6. Pour the sauce mixture into the eggplant, and simmer until reduced by half. Run each piece of eggplant through the sticky sauce before placing onto a bed of steamed rice. Top with sesame seeds and scallions. Serve.

Notes

  • Nutrition information is per serving (assuming this recipe makes 2 servings), and does not include rice. 

Nutrition Information

Show Details
Calories 209kcal (10%) Carbohydrates 20g (7%) Protein 3g (6%) Fat 15g (23%) Saturated Fat 12g (60%) Polyunsaturated Fat 1g Monounsaturated Fat 2g Sodium 649mg (27%) Potassium 562mg (16%) Fiber 7g (28%) Sugar 12g (24%) Vitamin A 112IU (2%) Vitamin C 6mg (7%) Calcium 38mg (4%) Iron 1mg (6%)

Nutrition Facts

Serving: 2Serving

Amount Per Serving

Calories 209 kcal

% Daily Value*

Calories 209kcal 10%
Carbohydrates 20g 7%
Protein 3g 6%
Fat 15g 23%
Saturated Fat 12g 60%
Polyunsaturated Fat 1g 6%
Monounsaturated Fat 2g 10%
Sodium 649mg 27%
Potassium 562mg 12%
Fiber 7g 28%
Sugar 12g 24%
Vitamin A 112IU 2%
Vitamin C 6mg 7%
Calcium 38mg 4%
Iron 1mg 6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.

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4.8

75 reviews
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