Braised Gochujang and Coconut Eggplant

• servings: Serves 3
• total time: 1 minute

Ingredients

1 eggplant, cut into 4cm pieces

2 tbsp coconut oil

1 shallot, finely chopped

4-5 tomatoes, roughly chopped (2 cups)

1 tbsp salt

1 spring onion, finely chopped

3 garlic cloves, finely chopped

4cm piece of ginger, grated

1 tbsp butter

2 tbsp gochujang

Scrunch of cracked black pepper

1 tin of coconut cream

2 tbsp honey

1 tbsp soy sauce

Green veg of choice, I used broccoli & box choy

RICE

1 cup washed rice

4cm piece of ginger, grated

1 tbsp sesame seeds

Pinch of salt

1 ½ cups water

1 tbsp rice wine vinegar

1 tbsp sesame oil

TO SERVE

1 spring onion, finely chopped

Handful of coriander

Sesame seeds

Directions

Fry the eggplant in the coconut oil until all sides are golden. Then rest it on paper towel

In the same pan sauté the shallots, tomato and salt until the tomatoes have soften, then add in the spring onion, garlic ginger, gochujang, butter & pepper. Cook this down until it’s a rich red, then add in the coconut cream plus honey and soy. mix it through before adding back in the eggplant. Cook on low heat with the lid on.

During this time, make the rice. To the washed rice, add the ginger, sesame seeds, salt & water. Cook on the stove with the absorption method. Once cooked, add in the rice wine vinegar & sesame oil. Mix it through.

By now the eggplant will almost be ready. Add to the pan your veg, cook for a further 1-2 minutes.

Serve with spring onion, coriander & more sesame seeds.

Notes

I used 1 medium to larger Chinese eggplant and 1 small soft tofu block added at the end. Phenomenal.