Name: Japanese Braised Eggplant & Shiitake Donburi with Sesame-Miso Sauce
Prep time: 25 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 1 serving
Ingredients: 1 small eggplant (about 150g), cut into 1/2-inch cubes; 75g fresh shiitake mushrooms, stems removed, caps sliced; 1 tbsp neutral oil (e.g., avocado, grapeseed); 1/2 cup cooked Japanese short-grain rice (or 1 cup cauliflower rice for paleo); 1 scallion, thinly sliced; 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds; Pickled ginger or quick-pickled cucumbers, for serving; 1 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce (or coconut aminos for paleo); 1 tsp mirin or maple syrup; 1/4 cup water; 1 tbsp tahini; 2 tsp white miso paste; 1 tsp rice vinegar; 1/2 tsp grated fresh ginger; 1/2 tsp maple syrup

Japanese Braised Eggplant & Shiitake Donburi with Sesame-Miso Sauce

CrushedLemon1034

This easy donburi brings together Japanese comfort with a California flair. Silky, umami-packed eggplant and meaty shiitake mushrooms are braised until meltingly tender, then layered atop fluffy rice (or cauliflower rice for a lighter twist). A nutty, savory-sweet sesame-miso sauce—made with tahini in place of sesame paste—ties everything together. The dish is finished with fresh scallions, a sprinkle of sesame, and a side of pickled ginger or quick-pickled cucumbers for a bright finish. Quick, deeply satisfying, and packed with flavor and contrasting textures.

Ingredients

Instructions

In a small bowl, whisk together tahini, miso paste, rice vinegar, grated ginger, and 1/2 tsp maple syrup with 1 tbsp water until smooth. Set aside as the sesame-miso sauce.
Heat neutral oil in a nonstick pan over medium-high heat. Add cubed eggplant. Sauté, stirring occasionally, until just softened and starting to brown (about 4 minutes).
Add sliced shiitake mushrooms to the pan. Continue to cook, stirring, until mushrooms are tender and eggplant is silky (about 3 minutes).
In a small bowl, mix soy sauce, mirin, and 1/4 cup water. Pour over the vegetables. Cover the pan and reduce heat to medium-low. Simmer for 5 minutes until eggplant is meltingly tender and sauce is mostly absorbed. Uncover to let any excess liquid evaporate if needed.
While eggplant simmers, prepare your rice base: warm the cooked short-grain rice (or sauté cauliflower rice in a separate pan with a pinch of salt until tender, about 3 minutes).
Spoon rice or cauliflower rice into a serving bowl. Pile braised eggplant and mushrooms over the top. Drizzle generously with sesame-miso sauce.
Sprinkle with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve with pickled ginger or quick-pickled cucumbers on the side for brightness.