Thinly sliced pork bellyPrepare same number of slices as eggplant slices14 slices
Eggplant2
Shiso leaves (oba)If leaves are large, cut in half; if normal size use whole leaves7-14 slices
Sesame oilFor frying, just a thin layer~2 tbspest.
Potato starch (katakuriko)To coat the rolls before frying~2-3 tbspest.
SaltFor salting eggplant and seasoning pork~½ tspest.
Pepper~¼ tspest.
Soy sauceFor the sauce~3 tbspest.
MirinFor the sauce~1½ tbspest.
SakeFor the sauce
~2 tbspest.
SugarFor the sauce~1 tspest.
VinegarFor the sauce~1 tbspest.
Grated garlicFor the sauce~1 tspest.
Grated gingerFor the sauce; can substitute all sauce ingredients with store-bought yakiniku sauce~1 tspest.
Chopped green onionFor garnish~2 tbspest.
Steps
1
Trim off the eggplant stems and slice into about 5mm thick pieces; two eggplants should yield around 14 slices.
2
Arrange the eggplant slices, sprinkle salt evenly over them, and let sit for about 5 minutes so they release moisture and soften for easier rolling.
3
Meanwhile, rinse the shiso leaves and pat dry; if the leaves are large, cut them in half and trim off the stems.
4
Mix soy sauce, mirin, sake, vinegar, sugar, grated garlic, and grated ginger together, stirring well until the sugar dissolves completely; this will be the sauce (you can substitute with store-bought yakiniku sauce if preferred).
5
After 5 minutes, thoroughly pat dry the moisture that has come out of the eggplant (no need to rinse off the salt, as it adds base flavor).
6
Lay out a slice of pork, sprinkle with pepper, place a shiso leaf and an eggplant slice on top, then roll tightly from the near end. Place seam-side down and repeat for all remaining pieces.
7
Coat all the rolls evenly with a thin layer of potato starch.
8
Heat a thin layer of sesame oil in a pan over medium heat for about 30 seconds, then place the rolls seam-side down and fry until the seams are browned and set, about 1.5 minutes.
9
Turn the rolls to brown all sides, frying for about 4 minutes total; wipe away excess oil with paper towel as needed, and you can loosely cover with paper to prevent oil splatters if it's popping too much.
10
Reduce to low heat, cover with a lid, and steam-fry for about 2 minutes until the pork is fully cooked through.
11
Remove the lid, wipe off any excess oil again, return to medium heat, pour in the prepared sauce, and toss the rolls until evenly coated and the sauce thickens to a glossy finish.
12
Plate the rolls, garnish with chopped green onion, and serve.
PrimedTableBETA
