Braised eggplant with pork, miso and brown rice

Tam West

This is based on a dish I ate at Shofama. I have untraditionally paired it with brown rice as I like its nutty flavour with the meaty eggplant dish.

Brown

250 g	Brown rice, soaked 20 minutes in plenty of cold water, well drained (Main)
500 ml	Water

Eggplant and pork

3 Tbsp	Vegetable oil
700 g	Eggplants, ends cut off, eggplant cut into 2cm by 8cm sticks (Main)
3 cm	Ginger, thinly sliced
500 g	Pork mince, free range (Main)
4 cloves	Garlic, finely chopped
4 Tbsp	Dark soy sauce, Japanese, naturally brewed
2 tsp	Chilli paste, or sambal oelek
4 Tbsp	Miso paste, pale brown (Main)
1 tsp	Sugar
250 ml	Water
2 Tbsp	Black rice vinegar
2 tsp	Cornflour, dissolved in 1 Tbsp cold water
2	Spring onions, thinly sliced on the diagonal
1 Tbsp	Sesame oil

Directions

Brown rice

1. Put drained rice in a small saucepan and add the water.
2. Bring to the boil, cover, move the rice to the smallest element, turn the heat to the lowest setting and cook without uncovering for 40 minutes. Remove from heat and stand without uncovering for 5 minutes. Uncover and fluff up rice with a fork. Cover. It will stay hot.

Eggplant and pork

1. Heat 2 tablespoons of the oil in a wok or frying pan over moderate to high heat. Add the eggplant and ginger and stir-fry until the eggplant is well browned. Remove from the wok and reserve.
2. Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the wok, turn the heat up high and add the pork and garlic. Stir-fry, breaking up any lumps, for 5 minutes or until dry and browned, then add the soy sauce, chilli paste, miso, sugar, vinegar and water. Cover and simmer for 5 minutes.
3. Uncover, add the reserved eggplant to the pan, mix well and stir in the cornflour mixture. Add the spring onions, reserving a few for serving. Mix well.
4. Serve sprinkled with the sesame oil and spring onions, with rice on the side.

See more of Ray's Hong Kong inspired recipes

• Sohofama's 24-hour drunken eggs
• Green bean, onion and capsicums
• Pickled radishes