Eggplant with Garlic Sauce and Sticky Rice

Name: Eggplant with Garlic Sauce and Sticky Rice
Yield: serves 2
Ingredients: 2 teaspoons sesame oil; 1 cup sushi rice; 1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable broth; 1 small eggplant, peeled or not, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups); 2 scallions, white and green parts, cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths; Sea salt; 4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped; 1/4 cup soy sauce; 2 tablespoons sugar; 1 tablespoon rice vinegar; 1 tablespoon sake or dry sherry; 1/2 teaspoon chili oil; 1 tablespoon cornstarch; 1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional; 1/4 jicama, peeled and julienned (see page 74 for a description of how to cut julienne-style sticks); 1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut in bite-size pieces; 1 cup fresh or frozen edamame, shelled

December 9, 2011

Eggplant with garlic sauce is one of my favorite dishes at Chinese restaurants. This version tastes slightly different because it is not wok-fried; it is much less oily than the traditional version but has a similar sweet/spicy/salty sauce. I like to use sushi rice in this recipe, but any kind of white rice or even parboiled precooked brown rice will work. Use this recipe to make almost anything with garlic sauce—broccoli, tofu, chicken, or whatever you like. Edamame are soybeans. The Japanese traditionally like to munch on these, boiled and salted, as a healthy source of protein. If you aren’t familiar with jicama, try it—it is a light, crunchy, slightly starchy root vegetable. It peels easily with a vegetable peeler and is wonderful raw in salads or as a crudité. If not using jicama, substitute carrots or celery in thin strips or a four-ounce can of sliced bamboo shoots, drained.

Recipe information

Yield
serves 2

Ingredients

2 teaspoons sesame oil

1 cup sushi rice

1 cup plus 2 tablespoons vegetable broth

1 small eggplant, peeled or not, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 2 cups)

2 scallions, white and green parts, cut diagonally into 1-inch lengths

Sea salt

4 to 6 garlic cloves, chopped

1/4 cup soy sauce

2 tablespoons sugar

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 tablespoon sake or dry sherry

1/2 teaspoon chili oil

1 tablespoon cornstarch

1 teaspoon red pepper flakes, optional

1/4 jicama, peeled and julienned (see page 74 for a description of how to cut julienne-style sticks)

1/2 red bell pepper, cored, seeded, and cut in bite-size pieces

1 cup fresh or frozen edamame, shelled

Preparation

Step 1
Preheat the oven to 450°F.
Step 2
Wipe the inside and lid of a cast-iron Dutch oven with sesame oil.
Step 3
Rinse the rice in a strainer under cold water until the water runs clear. Tip the rice into the pot, add 1 cup of the broth, and stir to make an even layer.
Step 4
Add the eggplant and sprinkle with scallions. Salt liberally (1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon), keeping in mind that the soy sauce will also add quite a bit of salt.
Step 5
In a small bowl, mix the garlic, soy sauce, sugar, vinegar, sake, chili oil, cornstarch, the remaining 2 tablespoons of broth, and the red pepper flakes. Mix well to dissolve the cornstarch and sugar. Pour half the mixture over the eggplant, distributing evenly.
Step 6
Add the jicama and bell pepper to the pot. Scatter on the edamame. Pour the rest of the soy mixture over all.
Step 7
Cover and bake for 45 minutes, or until 3 minutes after the aroma of a fully cooked meal escapes the oven. If there are still crunchy spots in your rice, leave the pot covered for 3 to 5 minutes after removing it from the oven. If there is too much extra liquid, remove the lid and let sit for 3 to 5 minutes before serving.
nutrition information
Step 8
Calories: 668
Step 9
Protein: 26g
Step 10
Carbohydrates: 114g
Step 11
Fat: 13g
Step 12
Cholesterol: 0
Step 13
Sodium: 2458mg
Step 14
Fiber: 11g

Glorious One-Pot Meals

Recipe information

Ingredients

Preparation

Step 1

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Step 7

nutrition information

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Recipe notes