Name: Eggplant and Shiso Pork Rolls
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: 3 eggplants; 12 shiso (perilla) leaves; 12 slices pork belly; A pinch of salt; 1 tbsp or more vegetable oil; 1 tbsp sugar; 3 tbsp cooking sake; 3 tbsp mirin; 2 tbsp soy sauce

About "Eggplant and Shiso Pork Rolls"

This dish features eggplants cut into quarters lengthwise, scored on the skin side, wrapped in shiso leaves and pork belly slices, and pan-fried. Deeply scoring the skin creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture, while wrapping with the pork fat on the inside infuses the eggplant with rich flavor. Searing over high heat promotes the Maillard reaction for a crispy exterior. After wiping away excess grease, the rolls are simmered in a sweet and savory glaze. Though made with simple ingredients, mastering the three key techniques—wrapping, searing, and glazing—will dramatically elevate the final dish.

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Video Timestamps

Tips for Making "Eggplant and Shiso Pork Rolls"

Selection
- Choose eggplants with pale stem cuts, sharp thorns on the cap, and firm, glossy skin. Avoid wrinkled ones as they have lost moisture.
Prep
- Do not cut the cap straight off. Shave it at an angle while rotating, like sharpening a pencil. This maximizes the edible portion, preserving nutrients concentrated near the cap.
Prep
- Score the skin side finely and deeply, going at least halfway through the thickness. This ensures heat penetrates to the center, creating a melt-in-your-mouth texture.
Wrapping
- Always place the shiso leaf on the flesh side of the eggplant, not the skin side. Placing it on the skin side blocks heat during cooking, ruining the texture.
Wrapping
- Completely cover the ends (top and bottom) of the eggplant with the meat. This prevents the meat from shrinking and exposing the eggplant, keeping moisture and umami locked in.
Wrapping
- Wrap with the pork fat on the inside and the lean meat on the outside. The melting pork fat will soak into the eggplant flesh, making it juicy and rich.
Heat Control
- Start searing on high heat. High temperatures (140°C/284°F or above) trigger the Maillard reaction, creating a savory aroma and crispy texture. Using enough oil ensures even heat distribution.
Heat Control
- Arrange with the skin side down first. Since the skin takes longer to cook, direct heat softens it. Placing the seam side down also prevents the meat from unraveling.
Heat Control
- Roll the pieces away from you with chopsticks. Matching the rolling direction with the wrapping direction prevents unraveling. Sear all three sides thoroughly.
Seasoning
- Once browned, turn off the heat and wipe away about 80% of the pork fat with paper towels. Excess grease will repel the sauce, making the dish greasy and bland.
Seasoning
- After wiping the grease, turn to medium heat, add sugar, sake, mirin, and soy sauce. Roll the pieces to coat, and simmer until the liquid reduces by half. Done when thick and glossy.

Ingredients for "Eggplant and Shiso Pork Rolls"

9 items

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3eggplants
12shiso (perilla) leaves
12slices pork belly
Apinch of salt
1tbsp or more vegetable oil
1tbsp sugar
3tbsp cooking sake
3tbsp mirin
2tbsp soy sauce

How to Make "Eggplant and Shiso Pork Rolls"

1
[How to Choose Eggplants] Choose eggplants with pale, fresh-looking stem cuts, sharp and prickly thorns on the cap, and firm, glossy skin.
2
[Prepping the Cap] Peel off the frilly parts of the cap by hand (watch out for thorns). Hold the knife at an angle and shave around the cap while rotating the eggplant, like sharpening a pencil. Do not cut the stem straight off to maximize the edible part.
3
[Cutting] Cut the eggplants lengthwise into quarters.
4
[Scoring] Make fine, diagonal cuts on the skin side of each piece, going at least halfway through the thickness. You can score the eggplant when it is cut in half lengthwise before quartering, or score each quarter individually.
5
[Wrapping the Meat] Lay a slice of pork belly diagonally on a cutting board, and place a shiso leaf on top so that it will touch the flesh side (not the skin side) of the eggplant.
6
Wrap the pork belly diagonally around the eggplant, tucking in the ends so the top and bottom of the eggplant are completely covered. Ensure the fat side of the pork is on the inside and the lean side is on the outside. Repeat for all 12 rolls.
7
[Searing] Arrange the pork rolls in a frying pan with the seam side and the eggplant's skin side facing down. Sprinkle a pinch of salt over everything and drizzle with 1 tbsp or more of vegetable oil.
8
Heat over high heat. Roll the pieces away from you with chopsticks (in the same direction the meat was wrapped) and sear thoroughly until all three sides are beautifully browned.
9
[Wiping Excess Grease] Once browned all over, turn off the heat and use paper towels to wipe away about 80% of the rendered pork fat from the bottom of the pan.
10
[Finishing] Return to medium heat and add 1 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp cooking sake, 3 tbsp mirin, and 2 tbsp soy sauce. Gently roll the pork rolls to coat them in the sauce, and simmer until the liquid reduces to about half of its original volume.
11
Once the sauce thickens and becomes glossy, it is ready. Plate the rolls and garnish with chopped green onions if desired.

Detailed Commentary on "Eggplant and Shiso Pork Rolls"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

3 Key Tips to Elevate Eggplant Pork Rolls

Today, we are presenting an upgraded version of our 'Eggplant and Shiso Pork Rolls' recipe originally released in July 2022. We will share detailed tips and techniques that couldn't fit into the TV broadcast, incorporating insights from molecular gastronomy. There are three main keys to making this dish incredibly delicious: first, how to select and prep the eggplant; second, how to wrap the meat; and third, how to sear it. While it looks like a simple dish anyone can make, there is a logical, scientific reason behind every small step, from wrapping to searing. By keeping these in mind, you can dramatically elevate the final flavor. We also have extra upgrade tips and related eggplant recipes at the end of the video, so please enjoy watching until the very end!

Choosing Fresh Eggplant & Prepping the Cap

Before we start cooking, let's look at how to choose delicious eggplants. There are three key indicators. First is the stem color: a pale, fresh-looking cut is a sign of freshness, whereas a brown cut indicates it's older. Second is the thorns on the cap: fresh eggplants have sharp, prickly thorns that almost hurt to touch. Third is the skin's firmness: choose eggplants that are plump and glossy all over. Wrinkled skin means they have lost moisture. For prep, first peel off the frilly parts of the cap by hand, being careful not to prick yourself. Next, instead of cutting the cap straight off, hold your knife at an angle and shave it off while rotating the eggplant, like sharpening a pencil. Since many of the eggplant's nutrients are concentrated around the cap, this method maximizes the edible portion and prevents waste.

Scoring for a Melt-in-Your-Mouth Texture

When wrapping and cooking eggplant, the skin can remain tough and hard to bite through if left unscored. This is why scoring the skin is absolutely crucial. There are two ways to do this. The easier method is to score the skin diagonally while the eggplant is cut in half lengthwise, and then cut it into quarters. This keeps the eggplant stable and easy to score. The more meticulous method is to quarter the eggplant first, then score each piece individually. The key is to score deeply—at least halfway through the thickness of the eggplant. This allows heat to penetrate all the way to the center during cooking, resulting in a melt-in-your-mouth texture. It takes a little extra effort, but this single step makes a massive difference in quality.

Wrapping Tips for Juicy, Flavorful Results

Next, we wrap the meat. We are using thinly sliced pork belly. Lay a slice of pork belly diagonally on a cutting board and place a shiso leaf on top. The key here is to place the shiso leaf so that it touches the 'flesh side' of the eggplant, not the skin side. If placed on the skin side, it blocks heat from reaching the skin during cooking, resulting in an unpleasant texture. When wrapping, make sure to tuck in the ends to completely cover the top and bottom of the eggplant. This prevents the meat from shrinking and exposing the eggplant, which keeps its moisture and umami locked inside. Furthermore, wrapping so that the pork's fat is on the inside and the lean meat is on the outside allows the melting pork fat to soak directly into the eggplant flesh, making it incredibly juicy and rich.

Searing for a Crispy Maillard Reaction

Now, let's sear the pork rolls in a frying pan. Arrange them with the eggplant's skin side facing down. Since the skin takes longer to cook, placing it directly against the heat first helps soften it. Also, placing the seam side down helps seal the meat so it doesn't unravel. Once arranged, sprinkle a pinch of salt over everything and drizzle with 1 tbsp or more of vegetable oil. Start on high heat. Searing the surface of the meat until crispy is the ultimate secret to making this dish delicious. The savory aroma of searing meat comes from the Maillard reaction, which occurs when amino acids and sugars react at high temperatures of 140°C (284°F) or above. Having enough oil in the pan ensures even heat distribution, prevents temperature drops, and helps achieve a beautiful, even sear. Roll them away from you with chopsticks to brown all sides beautifully.

Wiping Excess Grease & Glazing the Rolls

Once beautifully browned all over, turn off the heat. A large amount of fat from the pork belly will have accumulated in the pan, so use paper towels to wipe away about 80% of it. If you leave the grease, it will repel the salt and sugar in the sauce, resulting in a greasy, diluted flavor. After wiping the grease, return to medium heat and add the seasonings: 1 tbsp sugar, 3 tbsp cooking sake, 3 tbsp mirin, and 2 tbsp soy sauce. Gently roll the pork rolls to coat them evenly in the sauce. Simmer thoroughly until the liquid evaporates and reduces to about half of its original volume. Once the sauce thickens and coats the rolls with a beautiful, glossy glaze, they are done. Plate them up, garnish with chopped green onions if you like, and enjoy!

About こじまぽん助【分子調理学研究家】

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