Recipe
Chef's Technique! Eggplant and Pork Belly Ginger Stir-Fry
Ingredients
- 3eggplants
- 400gsliced pork belly
- 1/4onion (approx. 80g)
- Toastedwhite sesame seeds, to taste
- 1.5tbsp sake (approx. 22.5ml)
- 1.5tbsp soy sauce (approx. 22.5ml)
- 1.5tbsp mirin (approx. 22.5ml)
- 2tsp sugar (approx. 6g)
- 25gginger (fresh preferred, paste is also fine)
Overview
A professional chef's recipe for savory Eggplant and Pork Belly Ginger Stir-Fry. The key is the cooking order, which allows the eggplant to absorb the flavorful fat rendered from the pork belly. By stir-frying the pork and onions first, removing them, and then cooking the eggplant in the remaining pork fat, you get a wonderfully juicy and flavorful result. It is finished with a special sauce made of sake, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and ginger. Avoiding overcooking keeps the pork tender and moist while the eggplant retains a perfect texture.
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Key Tips
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Prep
- Slice the onion into 5mm thick pieces. This is the ideal thickness, as slicing it too thin will make it mushy.
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Prep
- Cut the sliced pork belly into thirds and separate the slices by hand to prevent them from sticking together when stir-frying.
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Prep
- Trim the eggplant stems diagonally as close to the top as possible, then cut into large chunks. Do not soak in water; use immediately.
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Heat control
- Arrange the pork in a cold pan first, then turn the heat to high to stir-fry.
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Stir-frying
- Once the pork is cooked, add the onion and stir-fry for 30 seconds, then remove while the onion is still slightly raw. Leave the rendered pork fat in the pan.
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Stir-frying
- Add the eggplant directly to the pan with the pork fat and stir-fry to let it absorb the fat. No need to add extra oil; the eggplant's own moisture will help cook it.
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Stir-frying
- Once the eggplant is well browned, return the pork and onion to the pan, stir-fry for 15 seconds, and then pour in the sauce.
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Seasoning
- Mix the ginger sauce thoroughly to ensure the sugar is completely dissolved before using.
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Seasoning
- Using fresh ginger dramatically improves the aroma and heat, though ginger paste from a tube can be used as a substitute.
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Finishing
- After adding the sauce, stir-fry quickly on high heat for 30 seconds until well combined. Avoid overcooking, as it makes the meat tough and the vegetables too soft.
Ingredients
9 items* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon
Instructions
- 1
Remove the core from 1/4 onion, slice it into 5mm thick pieces, separate the layers, and place them in a colander.
- 2
Cut 400g of sliced pork belly into thirds, and separate the slices one by one by hand.
- 3
In a bowl, combine 1.5 tbsp each of sake, soy sauce, and mirin, along with 2 tsp of sugar. Grate 25g of ginger into the bowl and mix well until the sugar is completely dissolved to make the ginger sauce.
- 4
Arrange the pork belly in a cold frying pan, turn the heat to high, and stir-fry until the meat is cooked through.
- 5
Once the pork is cooked, add the onion and stir-fry together for about 30 seconds (it is fine if the onion is still slightly raw), then remove both the pork and onion from the pan. Leave the rendered pork fat in the pan.
- 6
Trim the stems off 3 eggplants diagonally as close to the top as possible, then cut them into large, bite-sized chunks.
- 7
Add the eggplant directly to the pan with the remaining pork fat. Turn on the heat and stir-fry until browned, letting the eggplant absorb the fat (no need to add extra cooking oil).
- 8
Once the eggplant is nicely browned, return the pork and onion to the pan and stir-fry together for about 15 seconds.
- 9
Pour the ginger sauce over everything and stir-fry on high heat for about 30 seconds to coat evenly.
- 10
Plate the dish and garnish with toasted white sesame seeds to taste.
Detailed Commentary
* Content organized by topics from the video.
Prepping the Onion and Pork
Remove the core from 1/4 onion (approx. 80g) and slice it into 5mm thick pieces. This thickness is ideal, as slicing it too thin will make it mushy when stir-fried. Separate the layers and place them in a colander for now. Cut 400g of sliced pork belly into thirds for bite-sized pieces. Separating the slices one by one by hand after cutting prevents them from sticking together during cooking, making the stir-frying process much easier.
Stir-Frying Pork and Onion to Save Flavor
Arrange the separated pork belly in a cold frying pan before turning on the heat. It is fine if they overlap slightly. Once arranged, turn the heat to high and stir-fry until the meat is cooked through. Add the onion and stir-fry quickly for about 30 seconds. Since there are more cooking steps later, it is perfectly fine if the onion is still slightly raw. Transfer the pork and onion to a plate, but do not wipe the pan—leave the rendered pork fat inside. This fat is the key to making the eggplant incredibly delicious.
Mixing the Flavorful Special Ginger Sauce
In a bowl, mix the sauce that defines the flavor of this stir-fry. Combine 1.5 tbsp (approx. 22.5ml) each of sake, soy sauce, and mirin, along with 2 tsp (approx. 6g) of sugar. Grate 25g of fresh ginger into the mixture. While ginger paste from a tube works as a substitute, using fresh ginger dramatically enhances the aroma and sharp flavor, making the dish incredibly appetizing. Mix the seasonings well to ensure the sugar is completely dissolved.
Cutting and Stir-Frying Eggplant in Pork Fat
For the 3 eggplants, trim the stems diagonally as close to the top as possible to avoid wasting any edible parts, then cut them into large, bite-sized chunks. Do not soak the cut eggplant in water; place them directly into the pan with the remaining pork fat. Arrange them in the pan, turn on the heat, and let the eggplant fully absorb the savory pork fat. Even if the fat seems to disappear, there is no need to add vegetable oil. The eggplant will release its own moisture, allowing it to cook beautifully.
Coating with Sauce for a Quick Finish
Once the eggplant is nicely browned, return the cooked pork and onion to the pan. Stir-fry for about 15 seconds until everything is heated through, then pour the prepared special ginger sauce all over. Stir-fry rapidly on high heat for about 30 seconds to coat everything evenly. Once the sauce is well incorporated and a savory aroma fills the air, your flavorful Eggplant and Pork Belly Ginger Stir-Fry is ready.
About プロが教える家庭料理 papa′s cooking
プロが教える家庭料理 papa′s cooking
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