japanese-style mapo eggplants

• u.s.
• metric

ingredients:

• 18 ounces eggplants
• 7 ounces ground pork or beef
• 1 ounce long green onion or leek
• 2 cayenne peppers
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• 1 tablespoon red miso
• 1 1/4 cups chicken stock
• 2 cups salad oil for deep frying or 3 cups water
• 1 tablespoon salad oil
• 2 teaspoons potato starch (katakuriko)
• 1/3 cup water
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil (optional)

step 1:

Cut off the stalks of the eggplants. Cut each eggplants lengthwise in half. Cut each half across into 2 in. pieces. Then slice lengthwise into 1/2 in. wide julienne strips.

step 2:

Chop the green onion (or leek). Cut off the stalks of the red peppers, remove the seeds, and chop them into thin pieces.

step 3:

The eggplants can be cooked by deep frying or by boiling. To deep-fry, heat the 2 cups oil to 340 °F in a frying pan (or wok) and add the eggplants. Deep-fry for a couple of minutes. Remove and drain the eggplants in a colander. To boil, bring the water to a boil and add the eggplants. Boil for 3 minutes. Remove and drain the eggplants in a colander.

step 4:

Heat the 1 Tbsp. of salad oil in a frying pan or wok over a medium flame and add the ground meat. Sear until it changes color.

step 5:

Add the chopped cayenne pepper and leek. Sear for about 2 minutes.

step 6:

Pour the chicken stock into the pan (or wok) and bring to a boil. Add the soy sauce and stir. Put some stock into a ladle. Add the red miso and stir with chopsticks until it is dissolved. Stir into the soup.

step 7:

Add the eggplants and boil for 2 minutes.

step 8:

Dissolve the potato starch in the 1/3 cup of water. Add the dissolved potato starch to the pan (or wok).

step 9:

Stir a few times until it becomes creamy. If you like, add the sesame oil. Boil for 1 minute. Remove from heat.