Flavorful Eggplant and Pork Rice Bowl
Easy Pressure Cooker Eggplant and Pork Rice: Inspired by Jung Kyung-ho’s Eggplant Rice from ‘Wise Mountain Life’
This eggplant rice recipe is designed to use up ground pork, creating a satisfying and delicious meal.
Ingredients- 4 eggplants
- 2/3 Tbsp soy sauce for soup (guk-ganjang)
- 1 green onion
- 1 Tbsp brown rice oil
- 250g ground pork
- 2-3 Tbsp soy sauce (jin-ganjang)
- 2 Tbsp cooking wine (mirin or similar)
- 1 Tbsp cooking sake
- 1 tsp grated ginger
- 2 cups rice
- 2 cups water
- 1/4 tsp brown rice oil
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare 4 fresh eggplants. Slice them into thick pieces, about 1 to 1.5 cm thick. If they are too thin, they might break apart when cooked, so aim for a substantial thickness.
Step 2
Grill or pan-fry the sliced eggplants until golden brown. If using an air fryer, cook at 180°C (350°F) for about 10 minutes. If using a pan, lightly oil it and cook over medium heat until golden on both sides. Grilled eggplant develops a wonderful aroma that pairs beautifully with rice.
Step 3
Finely chop 1 green onion. Heat 1 Tbsp of brown rice oil in a pan over low heat, then add the chopped green onion and sauté until fragrant. Cooking the green onion releases its aromatics, adding depth to the seasoning.
Step 4
Add 250g of ground pork to the pan and cook. Once the pork is partially cooked, add 2 Tbsp of cooking wine and 1 Tbsp of cooking sake to remove any gamey odors. Then, season with 2-3 Tbsp of soy sauce (jin-ganjang). You can adjust the amount of soy sauce to your preference.
Step 5
Add 1 tsp of grated ginger to the seasoned pork and stir-fry together. The fresh ginger will enhance the pork’s flavor. Continue to cook until the pork is nicely browned.
Step 6
When the pork is almost fully cooked, add the pre-grilled eggplant slices and stir-fry gently. If the pork seasoning tastes a bit bland, add 2/3 Tbsp of soup soy sauce (guk-ganjang) to balance the flavors. Be careful not to mash the eggplant as you stir-fry.
Step 7
Wash 2 cups of rice thoroughly. Use slightly less water than usual, about 2 cups. For enhanced flavor and texture, soak the rice with a piece of dried kelp (dashima) for at least 30 minutes. Remember to remove the kelp before cooking the rice.
Step 8
Place the soaked rice into your pressure cooker or rice cooker. Then, evenly layer the cooked pork and eggplant mixture on top of the rice. Arrange them in layers so the flavors meld together beautifully.
Step 9
Finally, drizzle about 1/4 tsp of brown rice oil around the edges of the pot. This will coat the rice grains, making them fluffy and glossy. Cook the rice using your cooker’s standard white rice setting. Enjoy your delicious eggplant and pork rice!
