Savory Pork and Tender Eggplant Stir-fry: A Delicious Dish with a Touch of ‘Gochu Japchae’ Flavor
The Perfect Harmony of Pork and Eggplant: A Flavorful Stir-fry Recipe
Try this unique eggplant stir-fry using fresh eggplants from the market. It boasts a flavor profile similar to ‘Gochu Japchae’ (Korean spicy stir-fried vegetables), with a delightful blend of colorful vegetables and savory pork. This dish is perfect as a side dish for rice or as a delicious appetizer for drinks.
Main Ingredients
- 1 cup pork (for japchae, thinly sliced)
- 1 eggplant
- 1/2 bell pepper
- 1/2 onion
- 1/2 green onion (scallion)
- 1 hot pepper (e.g., Cheongyang pepper)
Seasoning Ingredients
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (like Mirin)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp doubanjiang (fermented bean paste)
- 1 Tbsp mi-hyang (Korean seasoning sauce, or more soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 200ml water (approx. 1 cup using a Korean paper cup)
- 1 cup cornstarch slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water)
- 1 Tbsp soy sauce
- 1 Tbsp cooking wine (like Mirin)
- 1 Tbsp minced garlic
- 1 Tbsp doubanjiang (fermented bean paste)
- 1 Tbsp mi-hyang (Korean seasoning sauce, or more soy sauce)
- 1 Tbsp oyster sauce
- 1/2 Tbsp sugar
- 200ml water (approx. 1 cup using a Korean paper cup)
- 1 cup cornstarch slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch + 2 Tbsp water)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
First, prepare the vegetables. Finely mince the onion. Remove the seeds from the bell pepper and cut it into bite-sized pieces (about 1.5cm segments). This ensures even cooking and appealing presentation.
Step 2
Cut the eggplant, green onion, and hot pepper into appropriate sizes (about 2cm thick). Eggplant shrinks when cooked, so you can cut it slightly larger. Adjust the amount of hot pepper according to your spice preference.
Step 3
Heat a little oil in a pan and stir-fry the thinly sliced pork. Let’s season it now. Add 1 Tbsp cooking wine, a little soy sauce (about 1/2 Tbsp), a pinch of black pepper, and 1/2 Tbsp mi-hyang (or more soy sauce). Break up the pork as it cooks so it doesn’t clump together. Once the pork is about 80% cooked, remove it from the pan and set aside.
Step 4
Now, let’s stir-fry everything together. Add a little more cooking oil to the same pan where you cooked the pork. Add the minced onion and sliced bell pepper, and stir-fry until the onion becomes translucent and fragrant. The onion will release its natural sweetness as it cooks. Combine all the seasoning ingredients: 1 Tbsp soy sauce, 1 Tbsp cooking wine, 1 Tbsp minced garlic, 1 Tbsp doubanjiang, 1 Tbsp mi-hyang, 1 Tbsp oyster sauce, and 1/2 Tbsp sugar. Bring this mixture to a simmer to create the sauce. Once the sauce is bubbling, add the sliced eggplant and mix well to coat. Stir-fry over medium heat until the eggplant starts to absorb the sauce.
Step 5
When the eggplant becomes slightly tender and has absorbed the sauce, pour in the water (200ml) and bring it to a boil. Once the sauce is boiling, increase the heat to high. Gradually pour in the prepared cornstarch slurry (1 Tbsp cornstarch mixed with 2 Tbsp water) while stirring quickly to prevent lumps and achieve the desired thickness. Finally, add the chopped green onion and hot pepper, and give it a quick final stir. Your delicious pork and eggplant stir-fry is ready! It’s best enjoyed immediately while hot.
