I will readily admit that eggplant has never been among my list of favorite vegetables! I’ve been on a mission over the past few years to reconcile my feelings about it as it is one of the few crops that withstands our extreme summer heat and humidity. What I’ve come to find is that I much prefer the taste of Asian varieties over Italian ones. And, eggplant is like a sponge so it will pretty much soak up whatever flavors you throw at it. Okay, I think I might love it now.
A couple of weeks ago I brought home the first eggplant and amaranth greens of the season. Inspired by their beautiful colors, I immediately photographed them (naturally). Post-photo session, I thumbed through the ever-changing rolodex in my brain of culinary ideas. I landed on a simple soy and miso-based glaze balanced with rice vinegar and sugar. For maximum flavor, I figured the eggplant would benefit from a good sear on each side. And to let the eggplant and amaranth truly shine? Serve it up over a bed of simple (but delicious) steamed rice.
The idea for this recipe is based off of content I’ve been savoring on YouTube from the following channels: Oishii Garden, Her 86m2, and Gala Studio. It’s been wonderful to watch different culinary (and gardening!) approaches than my own and begin to incorporate new things into my routine. I highly recommend giving some of the videos a watch, especially if you’re a gardener.
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Soy-Glazed Eggplant and Amaranth Greens
- Total Time: 25 minutes
- Yield: 2 servings
Description
Slices of eggplant are seared then cooked in a glaze made of soy sauce, miso paste, rice vinegar, and sugar. Amaranth greens are added just before serving this vegan and gluten free summer meal over a bed of steamed rice.
Ingredients
- 1 tbsp coconut oil
- 4–5 Asian eggplant
- 2 1/2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
- 1 tbsp chickpea miso paste
- 1 1/2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp rice wine vinegar
- 1/4 tsp granulated garlic
- 1 tbsp water
- 1 small bunch of amaranth greens
- plain steamed rice and thinly sliced green onions to serve
Instructions
Heat the coconut oil in a large skillet set over medium heat. Slice the eggplant into half-inch thick rounds. Roughly chop the amaranth leaves and set them aside. Add the eggplant to the heated pan and allow it to sear on the first side for 5-7 minutes or until just beginning to brown. Flip the eggplant and do the same on the second side.
While the eggplant is searing on the second side, whisk together the soy sauce, miso paste, sugar, rice wine vinegar, granulated garlic, and 1 tablespoon of water. Try to make sure the miso paste mostly breaks up and blends into the glaze.
Once the second side of the eggplant has just started to brown, add the glaze. Then, add the chopped amaranth leaves. Stir to coat everything in the glaze, cooking the whole mixture for an additional 2-3 minutes or until the glaze has mostly been absorbed by the eggplant and amaranth. Serve immediately over plain steamed rice and garnish with thinly chopped scallions.
Notes
Amaranth greens are one of the only leafy greens that will grow here during the summer but if they aren’t available locally where you are, feel free to use any of the following in their place: spinach, chard, or bok choy. If you want to serve this as a side dish, you’ll be able to get 4 portions out of it rather than 2.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 15 minutes
