Name: Revolutionary Eggplant and Pork Belly Stir-Fry
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: 3 eggplants; 200g thinly sliced pork belly; 2 tsp lemon juice; 3g salt; Sugar to taste (for drawing moisture from pork belly); 1 tsp vegetable oil; Potato starch to taste; 1 tbsp soy sauce; 1 tbsp mirin; 2 tsp sake; 1 tsp shiro-dashi (or tsuyu/noodle soup base); Sansho pepper to taste; Black pepper to taste; Sesame oil to taste

About "Revolutionary Eggplant and Pork Belly Stir-Fry"

The "Revolutionary Eggplant and Pork Belly Stir-Fry" is a dish packed with professional techniques developed by chef Hayato Morita. Pre-treating the eggplant with salt-lemon water prevents discoloration and achieves a texture that is crispy on the outside and melt-in-your-mouth tender on the inside even after cooking. Instead of salt, the pork belly is prepped with sugar to draw out excess moisture, then coated in potato starch for an incredibly tender, juicy texture. Tossed quickly over high heat with a simple sauce of soy sauce, mirin, sake, and shiro-dashi, and finished with sansho pepper and sesame oil, this irresistible dish is the ultimate rice companion.

Introduction to 予約7年待ち「肉の鬼才」森田隼人の料理研究所 →

Tips for Making "Revolutionary Eggplant and Pork Belly Stir-Fry"

Selecting Eggplant
- Choose eggplants that have no surface moisture and feel firm and springy to the touch.
Eggplant Prep
- Brush the eggplants with 'salt-lemon water' (2 tsp lemon juice and 3g salt) and let sit for 5 minutes. The acidity prevents discoloration and stabilizes pectin, keeping the surface intact during cooking.
Eggplant Prep
- After 5 minutes, thoroughly wipe off surface moisture with a paper towel. Wipe again right before cooking to prevent oil splattering.
Pork Belly Prep
- Do not salt the pork belly; instead, lightly sprinkle both sides with sugar. The sugar draws out excess moisture without leaving a sweet taste.
Pork Belly Prep
- Sandwich the sugared pork belly between paper towels, weigh it down for 3 minutes to drain, cut into thirds, and lightly dust with potato starch to keep it tender and juicy.
Heat Control
- Add eggplants skin-side down over high heat, then immediately reduce to low to cook slowly. After flipping, cook for 30 seconds (golden time) to evaporate surface moisture.
Stir-Fry Technique
- When adding the pork belly, layer the eggplants on top of the meat so they can absorb the delicious rendered pork fat.
Seasoning
- Pour in the sauce all at once after the pork changes color, toss quickly over high heat, and turn off the heat immediately to prevent the eggplants from absorbing too much liquid.
Plating & Garnish
- Plate the pork belly first, then layer the eggplants on top. Garnish with sansho pepper, black pepper, and sesame oil to elevate the aroma.

Ingredients for "Revolutionary Eggplant and Pork Belly Stir-Fry"

14 items

* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon

3eggplants
200gthinly sliced pork belly
2tsp lemon juice
3gsalt
Sugarto taste (for drawing moisture from pork belly)
1tsp vegetable oil
Potatostarch to taste
1tbsp soy sauce
1tbsp mirin
2tsp sake
1tsp shiro-dashi (or tsuyu/noodle soup base)
Sanshopepper to taste
Blackpepper to taste
Sesameoil to taste

How to Make "Revolutionary Eggplant and Pork Belly Stir-Fry"

1
[Eggplant Prep] Trim only the very hard tip of the eggplant stem, then peel off the remaining calyx by hand.
2
Cut the eggplants into bite-sized chunks. Depending on your preference, you can try three styles: 1) fully peeled and quartered, 2) unpeeled and cut into chunks, or 3) scored with shallow slits at 3–4mm intervals and then cut into chunks (the chef's recommendation is fully peeled).
3
Mix 2 tsp lemon juice and 3g salt to make salt-lemon water. Brush it thoroughly over the surface of the eggplants and let sit for 5 minutes.
4
After 5 minutes, wipe off the moisture that has risen to the surface of the eggplants with a paper towel. Eggplant prep is complete.
5
[Pork Belly Prep] While the eggplants are sitting for 5 minutes, lightly sprinkle sugar over the surface of the pork belly.
6
Place a paper towel on a plate, arrange the pork belly on it with the sugared side down, and sprinkle sugar on the top side as well.
7
Cover with another paper towel, place a weight (such as a sake bottle) on top, and let sit for 3 minutes to draw out moisture.
8
[Sauce Prep] In a small bowl, combine 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 2 tsp sake, and 1 tsp shiro-dashi.
9
[Cooking] Heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over high heat.
10
Wipe any remaining moisture off the eggplants with a paper towel again. Place them in the pan starting with the skin side down in this order: unpeeled without slits, unpeeled with slits, and finally peeled. Avoid placing the flat cut sides down. Immediately reduce the heat to low and cook slowly.
11
Remove the pork belly from the paper towels, cut into thirds, and lightly dust both sides with potato starch.
12
Once the eggplants soften, flip them over and cook all sides for about 30 seconds (this 30-second window is the 'golden time' to evaporate surface moisture).
13
After 30 seconds, push the eggplants to the side of the pan to make space, and add the pork belly. Layering the eggplants on top of the pork belly helps them absorb the delicious rendered fat. Increase the heat to medium and stir-fry, breaking up the pork belly, until it changes color.
14
Once the pork belly has changed color, mix everything together. Pour in the prepared sauce all at once, turn the heat to high, and quickly toss to coat.
15
As soon as the sauce is evenly distributed, turn off the heat and let the flavors meld using the residual heat.
16
Plate the pork belly first, then layer the eggplants on top. Garnish with sansho pepper, black pepper, and sesame oil to taste.

Detailed Commentary on "Revolutionary Eggplant and Pork Belly Stir-Fry"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

Revolutionary Stir-Fry! 3 Pro Secrets

In response to staff requests for an eggplant dish, Chef Morita shares his 'Revolutionary Eggplant and Pork Belly Stir-Fry.' While eggplant and pork is a classic combination that goes perfectly with rice, this recipe features unique professional techniques not found on any other YouTube channel, making both ingredients shine like a perfect duo. There are three key points. First, cook the eggplant in an acidic environment using acid to preserve its texture. Second, dust the pork belly with potato starch instead of salt; salting draws out too much moisture, whereas potato starch locks it in. Third, cook with minimal moisture; eggplants act like black holes absorbing everything, so the moisture level must be carefully controlled. Based on these three secrets, we will create an incredibly delicious eggplant dish that anyone can easily master.

Perfecting Texture: Eggplant Selection & Prep

To make a delicious eggplant dish, choosing the right ingredients is crucial. When buying eggplants, select ones that have no surface moisture and feel firm and springy to the touch. For prep, trim only the very hard tip of the stem and peel off the remaining calyx by hand. To test different textures, we prepare three cutting styles today. First, fully peeled and quartered eggplants to eliminate the contrast between tough skin and mushy flesh. Second, standard bite-sized chunks to increase the surface area for browning and a melt-in-your-mouth interior. Third, chunks scored with shallow slits at 3–4mm intervals to allow the pork fat and sauce to penetrate even better. These three approaches will unlock the eggplant's full potential.

Science of Salt-Lemon Water for Texture

For the final step of the eggplant prep, we use a professional 'salt-lemon water' technique. Simply mix 2 tsp of lemon juice with 3g of salt. Brush this mixture thoroughly over the cut eggplants and let them sit for 5 minutes. The acidity of the lemon lowers the pH, preventing discoloration—the ultimate enemy of eggplants. Furthermore, the acidic environment stabilizes the pectin in the eggplant, preventing the surface from collapsing during cooking. Meanwhile, the dehydrating effect of the salt draws out excess moisture, allowing the lemon's acidity and umami to penetrate. This ensures a melt-in-your-mouth interior while maintaining an amazing, firm exterior texture when cooked. After 5 minutes, gently wipe away the surface moisture with a paper towel.

Sugar Prep: The Secret to Juicy Pork Belly

Next, we prep 200g of thinly sliced pork belly using another surprising technique from Chef Morita. Lightly sprinkle sugar over the surface of the pork belly. Because sugar has larger particles, it efficiently draws out only the excess moisture from the meat. Place the pork belly on a plate lined with paper towels, cover with another paper towel, and place a weight (like a sake bottle) on top for 3 minutes. The sugar is absorbed by the paper towels along with the moisture, leaving almost no sweetness in the meat. Once dehydrated, cut the pork into thirds and lightly dust both sides with potato starch using a strainer. This dusting technique ensures the pork belly cooks up incredibly tender and juicy.

Golden Ratio Sauce & Eggplant Searing Tips

The stir-fry sauce is incredibly simple: combine 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, 2 tsp sake, and 1 tsp shiro-dashi (or tsuyu noodle soup base if unavailable) in a bowl. Once ready, heat 1 tsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over medium-high heat. Before adding the eggplants, wipe their surface moisture once more to prevent oil splattering. The order of adding them is key: first, place the unpeeled eggplants without slits skin-side down, followed by the unpeeled ones with slits, and finally the peeled ones. Avoid placing the flat cut sides down. After a quick sear, immediately reduce the heat to low to cook them slowly. Once they soften, flip them over. The first 30 seconds after flipping is the crucial 'golden time' to evaporate surface moisture and lock in the texture.

Stir-Fry Finish: Absorbing the Pork Fat

After flipping the eggplants and cooking for 30 seconds, push them to the side of the pan to create space, and add the prepped pork belly. The key here is to layer the eggplants on top of the pork belly, allowing them to efficiently absorb the delicious fat rendered from the meat. Increase the heat to medium and stir-fry, breaking up the pork belly until it changes color. At this stage, the eggplants will beautifully absorb the savory pork fat. Once the meat is cooked, mix everything together, pour in the prepared sauce all at once, and turn the heat to high to quickly coat the ingredients. As soon as the sauce is evenly distributed, turn off the heat and let the residual heat finish the dish. When plating, lay the pork belly down first, then beautifully layer the eggplants on top.

Irresistible Texture & Flavor Variations

Now, it's time to taste the ultimate eggplant and pork belly stir-fry. The peeled eggplant, in particular, has a delightful, slightly crispy exterior while remaining incredibly soft inside, releasing a burst of savory flavor with every bite. The subtle acidity of the lemon brightens the dish, cutting through the richness of the pork fat. The scored eggplant is also exquisite, having fully absorbed the savory pork fat. For a fantastic flavor variation, Chef Morita recommends adding a sprinkle of sansho pepper, black pepper, and a few drops of sesame oil to dramatically elevate the aroma. This rich, savory sauce combined with the pork and eggplant is the ultimate 'rice thief.' Serving it over freshly cooked rice as a rice bowl is absolutely irresistible. Thanks to the refreshing acidity, it never feels too heavy, making it the perfect stamina-boosting dish for hot summer days.

About 予約7年待ち「肉の鬼才」森田隼人の料理研究所

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