Healthy & Delicious Eggplant Rice Balls Recipe
Cancer-Preventing Recipe: Low-Sodium Eggplant Rice Balls
Eggplant is a nutritional powerhouse, packed with anthocyanins, potent antioxidants that not only help prevent cancer but also lower cholesterol. This versatile ingredient makes for a wonderful low-sodium rice ball dish that’s gentle on your stomach and rich in nutrients. Enjoy this healthy and flavorful recipe for everyone to savor.
Main Ingredients- 1 eggplant
- 1/4 zucchini
- 1/2 onion
- 1 bowl cooked rice (warm)
- 1 Tbsp olive oil
Seasoning for Rice Balls- 1/2 tsp bamboo salt (or low-sodium salt)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
- 1/2 tsp bamboo salt (or low-sodium salt)
- Pinch of black pepper
- 1/2 Tbsp sesame oil
- 1 Tbsp toasted sesame seeds
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, wash half of the eggplant thoroughly and dice it into pieces about the size of a thumbnail. Since eggplant shrinks when cooked, you can dice it slightly larger than the other vegetables. Reserve the remaining half of the eggplant for later use.
Step 2
Next, dice the 1/4 zucchini into similar-sized pieces as the eggplant.
Step 3
Dice half of the onion. The onion will add a touch of sweetness to the dish.
Step 4
Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a medium-heat pan. Add the diced eggplant, zucchini, and onion, and sauté for about 2 minutes, or until the vegetables begin to soften slightly.
Step 5
Once the vegetables start to cook, it’s time to season. As this recipe focuses on a low-sodium diet, I’m using culinary bamboo salt, which is rich in minerals. Bamboo salt has a milder salty taste than regular salt and offers health benefits. If you don’t have bamboo salt, use about 1/4 tsp of low-sodium salt. I’ve used 1/2 tsp of bamboo salt here.
Step 6
After seasoning, add 1 bowl of warm cooked rice to the pan. Mix well with a spatula and continue to stir-fry over medium heat, ensuring the rice doesn’t clump together.
Step 7
Continue to stir-fry for about 1-2 minutes after adding the rice. Then, drizzle in 1/2 Tbsp of sesame oil for a nutty aroma. No further seasoning is needed as the flavors are already well-balanced.
Step 8
Finally, sprinkle in 1 Tbsp of toasted sesame seeds for added texture and flavor. This low-sodium dish is perfect for cancer prevention and is gentle on your stomach. Once the rice and vegetables are well combined and the sesame seeds are sprinkled, turn off the heat. This simple dish can be prepared in under 5 minutes!
Step 9
While the rice mixture cools slightly, thinly slice the reserved half of the eggplant into approximately 0.5cm thick rounds. These will be used to wrap the rice balls.
Step 10
Heat 1 Tbsp of olive oil in a pan over low heat. Place the sliced eggplant rounds in the pan. Lightly sprinkle a pinch of bamboo salt (or your preferred seasoning) on each side and pan-fry for about 2 minutes until lightly golden brown and tender. They should be cooked through but not mushy. You can skip the salt or use just a tiny pinch.
Step 11
Shape the cooked rice mixture into bite-sized balls. Making them into rice balls makes them easy to eat and enjoyable, especially for children.
Step 12
Now, assemble! Place each formed rice ball onto a slice of the pan-fried eggplant. This creates beautiful, finger-food style eggplant rice balls. The eggplant is cooked just enough to retain a pleasant texture, making this a convenient and appealing way to use up eggplant.
