Stir-Fried Bitter Melon and Eggplant with Miso

1. Gather all the ingredients. Please note that I used half a bitter melon for this recipe.

To Prepare the Ingredients

1. Combine 1 Tbsp miso, 1 Tbsp mirin, ½ Tbsp soy sauce, and ½ Tbsp sake in a bowl and mix together. Set aside.
2. Peel and slice 1 inch ginger diagonally into very thin oval pieces, then stack and slice them lengthwise into thin julienne strips. Set aside some of the julienned ginger for the topping, then mince the rest of the strips.
3. Cut 4 inches bitter melon (bitter gourd or goya) in half lengthwise and remove the seeds with a spoon. Thinly slice the bitter melon crosswise into pieces ⅛ inch (3 mm) thick.

To Stir-Fry

1. Heat a large pan on medium-high heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and distribute it. When the oil is hot, add the bitter melon.
2. Stir-fry on medium-high heat for 1 minute. Turn off the heat and transfer the bitter melon to a dish.
3. Discard the tops of 2 Japanese eggplants and cut them in half lengthwise. Slice the eggplant diagonally, rotating a quarter turn after each cut. This Japanese cutting technique is called rangiri. Tip: We cut the eggplant right before cooking so it doesn‘t change color. If you want to cut ahead of time, soak the cut pieces in water to prevent discoloration, then dry with a clean towel before stir-frying.
4. Heat the large pan again over medium-high heat. When it‘s hot, add 1 Tbsp neutral oil and distribute it in the pan. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant.
5. Stir and coat with the oil, and then cover. Reduce the heat to low and let it steam until the eggplant is tender, about 5 minutes.
6. Uncover, add the minced ginger, and quickly stir.
7. Add the bitter melon back to the pan and quickly stir.
8. Add the seasonings and quickly stir.

To Serve

1. Transfer to a serving plate. Top with the julienned ginger and enjoy.

To Store

1. You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 3 days or in the freezer for a month.