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Mabo nasu (Japanese mapo aubergine)
Mabo nasu: aubergine with minced pork in a mild doubanjiang sauce
Mabo nasu is the Japanese home take on a Sichuan dish, cooked across Japan on weeknights when aubergines are cheap in summer: soft aubergine and minced pork in a glossy, mild sauce of doubanjiang, miso and soy, eaten over white rice. This is a pork dish. The usual mistake is under-cooking the aubergine, which stays spongy and drinks the sauce; fry it until it is collapsing and shiny first. Chef's tip: stir the cornflour slurry in off the heat, then bring it back to a bubble, so it thickens smoothly without lumps.
- Total time
- 25 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 3
Ingredients
- 2 auberginesabout 500 g, cut into finger-length wedges
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 7 oz pork mince
- 1 garlic clovefinely chopped
- 1 tsp gingergrated
- 1 tbsp doubanjiang (chilli bean paste)use 2 tsp for children
- 1 tbsp red or mixed miso
- 1 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tsp sugar
- ¾ cup water
- 2 tsp cornflourmixed with 2 tbsp cold water
- 1 tsp sesame oil
- 1 spring onionchopped
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Method
0/5 doneStep 1: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry 2 aubergines, turning, until the skins are glossy and the flesh is soft and golden. Push them to the side of the pan.
8 minStep 2: Add 7 oz pork mince to the cleared space and fry, breaking it up, until it has changed colour and the fat runs. Add 1 garlic clove, 1 tsp ginger and 1 tbsp doubanjiang (chilli bean paste) and fry for 30 seconds until red and fragrant.
4 minStep 3: Mix 1 tbsp red or mixed miso, 1 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tsp sugar into ¾ cup water and pour it in. Stir everything together and simmer for 3 minutes, until the aubergine is very soft and the pork is cooked through (160°F).
3 minStep 4: Take the pan off the heat, stir in the 2 tsp cornflour slurry, then return it to the heat and stir until the sauce bubbles and turns glossy.
1 minStep 5: Finish with 1 tsp sesame oil and 1 spring onion and serve over rice.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 330 kcal
- Protein
- 15 g
- Carbs
- 18 g
- Fat
- 23 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does mabo nasu (Japanese mapo aubergine) take?
- About 25 minutes in total: 8 minutes to prepare and 17 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 3 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- What can I use instead of garlic clove?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of soy sauce?
- Tamari, same amount (gluten free).
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