Ingredients: 

2 Japanese eggplants, peeled
4 Tablespoons cooking wine
1.5 Tablespoons sugar
2 Tablespoons soy sauce
3 cups jasmine rice
furikake for topping
seaweed for topping
scallion, diced for topping
sesame seeds for topping

Directions:

1. Take the peeled eggplant and cut in half. 
2. Add to a bowl of water to cover and microwave for 2 minutes.
3. Flatt the half moon halves by slicing lengthwise not all the way through to lay the eggplant like a fillet of fish. 
4. Create crosshatch marks on both sides.
5. Pan fry to sear both sides in hot oil.
6. Remove from heat and let rest on a paper towel.
7. In the same pan, add the cooking wine and sugar. Allow to caramelize before adding the soy sauce. Allow to simmer for a minute.
8. Add the eggplant back in the sauce and allow to coat.
9. Remove and continue with the rest of the eggplant “fillets” until all are coated in sauce. 
10. Slice diagonally into 1” strips.
11. To plate, take a bowl, add a cup of rice, lay the strips on top, Use the toppings: sesame, scallion, seaweed, furikake in the amounts desired.

Serves 2. I would use the sauce for other vegetables too! It’s very good.

Recipe adapted from Helen’s Recipes.