Miso Pork and Eggplant 味噌茄子豬肉片

Haven't use miso for a while, remembered that I used to have one box standing by in the fridge when I was back in the states. So I made a note on my phone, reminding me to get a one next time going to a Japan-based grocery store. However, I completely bypassed that note and came home empty handed. OCD kicked in, I have to get that box of miso. Tried my luck at a local organic store, yes, they do sell it. Their miso boxes come in two different varieties, smooth versus grainy. "Smooth," I requested.

Miso pork and eggplant 味噌茄子豬肉片 -

Ingredients?

• 1 box/about 12 pork slices
• 2 long eggplants
• 1 scallion
• 2 tablespoons olive oil

Sauce:

• 2 tablespoons miso
• 1 teaspoon mirin
• 1 teaspoon honey
• 1/2 teaspoon grated garlic
• 1/2 teaspoon grated ginger 

How?

Peel and grate the garlic, also peel and grate the ginger. Mix all the ingredients under the "sauce" section and set aside for later use.

Not necessary to peel the eggplant, it's up to personal preference. Slice the eggplant diagonally, about 2 to 3 mm in thickness. Destem and chop the scallion.

Prepare a non-stick pan, add in oil and turn to medium high heat. Once the surface turns warm, add in eggplant and sear till slightly softened on both sides. Push the eggplant to one side.

Add in pork slices on the other side of the pan. Sear till some pork fat renders. The eggplant will also absorb the fat from the pork slices. Stir-fry these two ingredients together towards the end.

Pour in the sauce mixture and give it a quick stir. Cook for a wee bit longer till the sauce gets absorbed.

Plate and garnish with chopped scallion.

Use less honey if a less sweet note is preferred, or even substitute with small amount of granulated sugar. Just make sure the sugar has been fully dissolved before pouring to the pan.

Miso is pretty common here in Taiwan, but I want the organic kind. Luckily, I still found one in the end. Otherwise there won't be this recipe, well, maybe delayed a few more weeks. I tend to write down what to cook a month prior, OCD kicks in again.