Miso Glazed Eggplant ‘Scallops’

This dish is the perfect in between seasons meal. You could treat it as a celebration of late summer bounty or a hot meal to be eaten under fuzzy blankets on the first day of fall. Japanese eggplant is a wonderful vegan stand-in for scallops that beautifully soaks up the miso marinade. Serve these miso glazed "scallops" over black lentils, brown rice, or over a smashed baked sweet potato.

Miso Glazed Eggplant ‘Scallops’ [Vegan, Gluten-Free]

Ingredients

• 2 tablespoons white miso
• 3 tablespoons mirin
• 3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
• 1 tablespoon grated ginger
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1/4 cup water
• 1/2 teaspoon sesame oil
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce or gluten-free tamari
• 1 juice of one lime or lemon
• 1 clove garlic, minced
• 1 pound Japanese eggplant

Preparation

1. Peel your eggplants and slice into 1 1/2 or 2-inch disks.
2. Make a criss cross pattern with a sharp knife in the cut sides on the eggplant on both sides. You can see this in the photos. In a medium bowl stir, miso, water, mirin, rice wine vinegar, soy sauce, grated ginger, sugar, and sesame oil. Heat to medium-high a skillet big enough to contain the eggplant disks in one layer. Pour in the sauce and swirl. Place you eggplant disks into the pan in one layer and cover with a lid. Allow to cook until the eggplant is just tender but not falling apart. About 6-8 minutes.
3. Remove lid and and flip the eggplants with a spatula. Cook until you have a good caramel on the bottom and the sauce is mostly evaporated to a rich glaze.
4. Remove from the heat. Juice your lime into a bowl with the minced garlic and pour over the "scallops."  Serve.

https://www.onegreenplanet.org/vegan-recipe/miso-glazed-eggplant-scallops/