Perfectly juicy and savory Ginger Pork Rolls with Eggplant! This is something that you won't find on menus at your local Japanese restaurants, but the combination of pork, eggplant, and shiso leaf is simply amazing.

Ginger Pork Rolls with Eggplant

INGREDIENTS

• 2 Japanese eggplants (or 1 long Chinese eggplant; 10 oz, 280 g)
• ▢½ lb thinly sliced pork loin (1 package shabu shabu meat)
• ▢2 Tbsp potato starch/cornstarch

For Seasonings:

• ▢1 knob ginger (need ½ tsp grated ginger)
• ▢2 Tbsp soy sauce
• ▢2 Tbsp mirin
• ▢1 Tbsp sake (or water)
• ▢1 tsp sugar

For Cooking:

• ▢1 Tbsp sesame oil (roasted)
• ▢½ tsp miso

For Garnish:

• ▢4 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba)
• ▢yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste) (optional)

INSTRUCTIONS

 

• Gather all the ingredients.
  
• Grate ginger and you will need ½ tsp of grated ginger.
• In a small bowl, combine all the ingredients for the sauce.
• Peel the eggplant with a peeler and soak the peeled skin in water.
• Cut the eggplant into 2 inch (5 cm) pieces widthwise, and cut each piece in half. 
• Then cut each piece into 4 sticks and soak in water for 10 minutes to remove the bitterness and prevent from changing the color.
• Now cut the eggplant skin into julienne strips and continue to soak in water.
• Remove any moisture on the eggplant with a paper towel.
• Wrap 2 eggplant sticks with a thinly sliced pork. Continue with the rest of pork slices.
• Sprinkle half of the potato/corn starch on the pork rolls and spread over the meat. Then flip over and spread the remaining potato/corn starch. Remove any excess starch.
• In a large non-stick frying pan, heat sesame oil on medium heat. Add the pork rolls.
• Cook them until all sides are golden browned.
• Cover the pan with a lid and cook on medium-low heat, until the eggplant is tender roughly 2-3 minutes.
• Add the sauce to the pan.
• Coat the pork rolls well by rotating them and spooning the sauce over.
• Serve the pork rolls on a plate and pour the sauce on top.
• In the same pan (without washing), add the eggplant skin and miso. 
• Mix well together and cook on medium-low heat until tender, about 2-3 minutes. Put them on top of the eggplant. 
• Roll up the shiso leaves and cut into chiffonade strips.
• Garnish the pork rolls with shiso leaves. If you like it spicy, serve with a dab of yuzu kosho. You can put a tiny bit of it on the pork roll and enjoy!

https://www.justonecookbook.com/ginger-pork-rolls-with-eggplant/