Eggplant Kabayaki

Kabayaki is broiled or fried vegetable (meat, fish etc) glazed with sweet-savory soy sauce.

The most famous Kabayaki dish is unagi-kabayaki (grilled-eel). Very similar to teriyaki sauce but a bit thicker.

Serves 2

 

Ingredients

 

Eggplants 2 medium size 

(about 3 slices per person)

Potato starch or tapioca starch enough to dust the eggplant

Oil  4TBS (more if needed)

Kabayaki Sauce

 

Procedures:

 

*Preparing the eggplant

 

1.Slice the eggplants.

    Peeling skin is optional.

    Long eggplants, lengthwise, round one slice into 2cm.

2. Lay on a pan and sprinkle salt evenly. Let them sit until time to fry.

3. Later before frying wipe off the excess water on the eggplants.

4. Lightly dust both sides of the eggplant with potato starch (tapioca starch)

 

*Frying

 

1. Put the oil in the pan on medium heat.

2. Lay the eggplant flat not overlapping one another.

    Turn the heat down to low to medium heat.

3. Put a LID.

4. Fry both sides until golden brown and until soft in the center.

5. When cooked, take the pan off the heat.

Dust with potato starch and fry with a lid on medium-low heat.

Don't rush!

Flip the eggplants over.

6. Pour the Kabayaki sauce about 2 TBS over the eggplants.

           Kabayaki glaze sauce

  Put the pan back on the stove on LOW HEAT  (to prevent burning)

    Shake the pan to coat the sauce thoroughly. Turn off after about a minute. 

       *Do not over use the sauce at this point.

       You can add more sauce on the eggplant or over rice before serving if needed.

Pour the kabayaki sauce and coat the eggplants.

 

*Serve

Serve on top of the rice for Kabayaki bowl. Serve in a separate dish as one of the side dishes.

 

 

TIPS

*Why use salt?

To prevent the eggplants from discoloring.

To prevent the eggplants from absorbing excess oil.

 

*Why coat with potato starch/tapioca starch?

To prevent the eggplants from soaking up the excess oil.

To create a nice golden crust.

To thicken the sauce.

 

*What kind of oil?

Light oil. Vegetable oil, avocado oil, canola oil, rice oil.

Sesame oil for deeper and rich flavor.

Olive oil and coconut oil is not suitable for this dish.

 

 

Enjoy!