“Veganism is not a sacrifice. It is a joy.”
Today I ventured far from my comfort zone with this recipe. I’ve been wanting to incorporate new veggies into my vegan kitchen and Eggplant is one of those things I usually just pass in the produce isle.
It’s not easy to find a lot of interesting Eggplant recipes but I have noticed at some Japanese restaurants they make it as a vegetarian option – Teriyaki style. I’m not versed in Japanese cooking (note: must take lessons) so I’m totally cheating by using pre-made Teriyaki but bear with me, it came out quite tasty and it will be one of those recipes I will work on to perfect.
You will need: (2 – 4 portions)
- 1 Eggplant chopped into bite sized cubes
Teriyaki Marinade:
- 1/8 cup soy sauce
- 1 1/2 tsp of Mirin (Rice Wine Vinegar)
- 1/4 cup Teriyaki Sauce
- Ginger (about the size of a thumb) finely chopped
- 3 Garlic cloves minced
- Sushi or any short grained rice
- Toasted sesame seeds (to sprinkle overtop)
- 1 Green onion chopped to garnish
- Sesame + Coconut oil (just a splash of sesame oil for flavour)
Instructions:
- Mix all the sauce ingredients into a bowl or cup.
- Slice Eggplant into cubes and place into a large bowl and pour the marinade over the top. Stir and make sure it is all coated. Cover the bowl and set aside to marinade for at least 20 minutes.
- Heat a large pan (with coconut oil and a splash of sesame oil) over medium-high heat. Once hot place the eggplant in the pan.
- Pan fry the eggplant for a few minutes and pour any excess marinade overtop while cooking.
- Cook stirring once in a while until well browned.
- Pull off the stovetop and serve over steamed rice topped with sesame seeds and sliced green onion!
I made an Avocado Salad as well: Greens of your choice (I had spinach today), sliced avocado, tomatoes , green onion, cilantro. I have a salad dressing that my Father-in-Law gifted me directly from Japan. Any miso based dressing will do.
Listening to my dear friend Andre Stepanian’s beautiful guitar music over dinner. Check out his Youtube Channel for all of his heartfelt compositions including some beautiful Nuevo Flamenco tunes; they’re sure to put you in a relaxed, chill mood. https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrj-zik-9kakx1QkVA70APw
See you all soon with more good food from my kitchen.
Love,
Jennifer