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Mapo Eggplant
Serves 2 · About 25 min
Eggplant fried in oil, then simmered and coated in a thick sauce of ground meat, miso and soy sauce. You can change the spiciness with the amount of doubanjiang.
① Cut the ingredients→② Fry the eggplant→③ Stir-fry the ground meat→④ Simmer→⑤ Thicken
What to buy
Meat
Vegetables
Seasonings
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How to make it
1
Cut the ingredients
- Cut off the eggplant stems and cut in half lengthwise on a cutting board. Then cut diagonally, 3 cm wide
- Finely chop the leek on a cutting board
- In a small bowl, put 150 ml water, 1 tsp chicken stock granules, 1 tbsp miso, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tsp sugar and 1 tbsp sake, and dissolve the miso
- In another small bowl, mix 2 tsp potato starch and 1 tbsp water (potato starch slurry)
How to tell it's doneThe eggplant is cut, and the sauce and potato starch slurry are lined up next to the stove.
2
Fry the eggplant and take it out
- Heat 2 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan on medium heat
- Lay in the eggplant skin side up and cook 3 min. Turn over and cook the skin side 2 min too
- Move to a plate
How to tell it's doneThe cut sides are lightly browned and the eggplant is soft.
Be carefulEggplant soaks up oil fast, but don't add too much oil. If it looks like it will burn, turn the heat down a little.
3
Stir-fry the ground meat
- In the same frying pan, add 1 tbsp vegetable oil, add the ground meat and stir-fry while breaking it up
- When the meat changes color, add 1 tsp each of garlic and ginger, the leek and 1/2 tsp doubanjiang, and stir-fry 30 sec
How to tell it's doneThe ground meat is broken up and crumbly, with no pink parts.
4
Return the eggplant and simmer
- Add the sauce you mixed in step 1 and bring to a boil
- Put the eggplant from step 2 back in and simmer 2 min, coating it in the sauce
How to tell it's doneThe eggplant has taken on the sauce's color, and the sauce is bubbling.
5
Thicken and finish
- Turn to medium-low heat, stir the potato starch slurry again, and pour it in a little at a time all around
- Stir with a spatula and simmer about 30 sec until it bubbles again
- Turn off the heat and drizzle 1 tsp sesame oil around. Taste it, and if it tastes weak, add 1/2 tsp soy sauce
ReadyThe sauce is thick and shiny and coats the eggplant.
📚 Learn more about this dish
🥬 Ingredient guide
If it didn't work out
The eggplant is oilyYou added too much oil in step 2. Next time, cook with just 2 tbsp.
The eggplant is hardThe cooking time in step 2 was short. Cook until soft before taking it out.
The thickened sauce got lumpyYou added the potato starch slurry without stirring it. Next time, stir it right before adding and pour it in a little at a time.
Too spicyIt's the amount of doubanjiang. Next time, use 1/4 tsp or leave it out.
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