Japanify: Japanese Eggplant and Chicken Simmered in Miso

When I crave comfort food, this is my go-to dish. It's quick, easy and cheap. The key to a successful miso-eggplant dish is fresh eggplants. The vibrant purple color of Japanese eggplant contrasts well with the redness of the miso.

The dish is sweet thanks to the miso and sugar so it will satisfy an eater of almost any age.

Japanese Eggplant and Chicken simmered in Miso

INGREDIENTS

Miso sauce
1/2 cup of dashi (or water)
2 tbsp of red miso
2 tbsp of mirin
2 tbsp of sugar

3 Japanese eggplants cut into 1/2" thick coins
1/2 lb. ground chicken

METHOD

1. In a shallow pan with a lid, heat the dashi, mirin and sugar. Heat on high until all the sugar is melted and the liquid comes to a boil.

2. Turn the heat off and dissolve miso into the pan.



3. Place eggplants into the mixture. Cover lid and simmer on low for five minutes.



4. Add chicken into the mix. Cover lid and simmer on low for another five minutes.



5. Mix the chicken and eggplant around well in the pan.

6. Serve hot with rice.