Featured Comment:
“The texture, the flavours, WOW! I think I’m going to make this every day for a month now!”
– JK VeganAbroad
Who would have guessed this kabayaki donburi was made with eggplant?
By the way, for comparison, here is a picture of the real eel bowl I made before!
I know it sounds too good to be true, but this plant-based version of kabayaki donburi starts with a process like this.
Finish it off with a quick pan fry and your special sauce.
Wondering what it tastes like? Of course it doesn’t taste like eel, but the eggplant is really tender and the subtle flavor allows the sauce to really shine! Want to know how to make it? Keep reading to find out!
What is Kabayaki?
Kabayaki (蒲焼き) is a traditional Japanese cooking method that features long, slender fish-like eel. The prep is pretty straightforward. We carefully open the fish, remove the spine, skewer it, and then grill it before glazing it with a rich, sweet and savory kabayaki sauce. This tasty coating is usually made with dark soy sauce, mirin, sugar, and sake, which creates a perfect balance of sweet and umami flavors.
In recent years, creative cooks have developed a plant-based version using eggplant. While it’s not exactly the same as fish, eggplant kabayaki looks almost identical to eel. The eggplant absorbs the rich kabayaki sauce, making it a familiar yet innovative dish.
This plant-based version offers a unique textural experience. The eggplant becomes really tender, almost melting in your mouth!
How I Developed This Recipe
I got the idea to make eggplant kabayaki after seeing it on a restaurant menu near my house. I’ve got to tell you, I’m really impressed by whoever came up with this idea first. Have you ever tasted something and thought, “No way, how did they do that?”
While developing this recipe, I recalled my experience making eel kabayaki from scratch. It was enjoyable but challenging. I then set out to create a simpler version that anyone can easily prepare at home. My solution? A streamlined sauce-to-fry method that delivers all the flavor without the fuss.
I have to tell you, the result is incredible! The eggplant is so tender it practically melts in your mouth. If you’re into plant-based eating or just curious to try something new, you’ve got to try this take on “Unagi Don.” It’s super budget-friendly and easy to make!
Key Ingredients & Substitution Ideas
- Eggplant: I use Japanese eggplant (nasu) because of where I am, but any variety works well. The key is to adjust the quantity based on the size of your chosen eggplant. Long, slender types like Chinese or Italian eggplants are great alternatives.
- Soy sauce: Go for the dark soy sauce to get that rich, deep flavor we all know and love in kabayaki. Light soy sauce just doesn’t have the intensity you need for this dish, so it’s really important to use the dark variety.
- Sake: For the best results, go for a drinking-grade sake. These have a more refined flavor profile than cooking sake, which often has added salt. Using a drinking sake adds depth to the dish without requiring any adjustments to the saltiness.
- Mirin: Seek out genuine “hon mirin (本みりん)” if possible.
- Dark brown sugar: Dark brown sugar is the best choice for its molasses content, which gives the sauce a rich flavor. You can use light brown sugar or even white sugar if you don’t have it.
- All-purpose flour: The eggplant is coated with this to create a light crust that helps the sauce stick.
- Cooked Japanese rice: For tips on selecting and cooking Japanese rice to perfection, check out my detailed guide on “How to Cook Japanese Rice.”
- Toppings: I suggest a mix of chopped green onions, sesame seeds, and kizami nori (shredded seaweed) for a taste and texture. For a little zing, add a dash of wasabi paste – it’s a surprising but tasty addition!
Visual Walkthrough & Tips
Here are my step-by-step instructions for how to make Eggplant Kabayaki at home. For ingredient quantities and simplified instructions, scroll down for the Printable Recipe Card below.
This section aims to provide a comprehensive overview of the cooking steps and techniques with visuals. It also includes more in-depth tips and tricks and explains why I do what I do.
Trim the stem end of the eggplant and peel it completely using a vegetable peeler.
Put the peeled eggplant in a microwave-safe bowl, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave on medium-high (600W) for 3 minutes.
Once you’ve microwaved it, check to see if it’s tender enough. If not, microwave it in 30-second intervals until it is.
While the eggplant cools, mix together the sauce ingredients in a small bowl.
Cut the eggplant down the middle lengthwise, being careful not to slice all the way through. Open it up like a book.
If needed, make a few more shallow cuts to help flatten the eggplant.
Dust the cut side with all-purpose flour. This coating will help the sauce stick and create a subtle crust.
Heat a large frying pan over medium heat and add a thin layer of oil. Once the pan is nice and hot, place the eggplant flat down with the flour-dusted side touching the surface of the pan.
Cook until golden brown on one side.
Then flip and brown the other side.
Next, pour the prepared sauce over the browned eggplant in the pan. Gently stir to coat all sides of the eggplant, letting the sauce reduce and thicken.
This step is key for getting that rich, glossy coating we all love in kabayaki. Keep cooking until the sauce has thickened to your desired consistency.
Top the rice with any leftover sauce and a sprinkle of kizami nori for a hint of sea-flavor.
Take the eggplant off the heat and arrange it on top of the rice. You can add whatever toppings you like, like green onions and sesame seeds. If you want to add a bit of a kick, try adding a little wasabi paste to the rice before you put the eggplant on top.
FAQ
Here are answers to frequently asked questions I have received across all platforms, including here, YouTube, Instagram, and Pinterest. If you have any questions, feel free to send them to me anytime! It will be a big help for everyone in this community!
You can indeed steam the eggplants to the point where they get soft and squishy!
I hope you enjoy this Eggplant Kabayaki recipe! If you try it out, I’d really appreciate it if you could spare a moment to let me know what you thought by giving a review and star rating in the comments below. It’s also helpful to share any adjustments you made to the recipe with our other readers. Thank you!
More Japanese Vegetable Recipes
- Tofu Gyoza (Plant Based)
- Kinpira Gobo (Braised Burdock Root)
- Plant-Based Mabo Nasu (Japanese Mapo Eggplant)
- Ginger Miso Soup (Plant-based)
Want more inspiration? Explore my Vegetarian Roundup Post for a carefully selected collection of tasty recipe ideas to spark your next meal!
Eggplant Kabayaki (Plant-Based “Unagi” Bowl)
Ingredients
- 3 eggplants
- 1 tbsp cooking oil
- ½ tbsp all-purpose flour
- 1 tbsp dark brown sugar
- 2 tbsp dark soy sauce
- 2 tbsp sake
- 1 ½ tbsp mirin
- 2 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice
- shredded sushi nori seaweed "kizami nori"
- wasabi (optional)
- finely chopped green onions
- sesame seeds
Instructions
- Peel 3 eggplants and place them in a heatproof bowl. Cover with plastic wrap and microwave for 3 minutes at 600W.
- While the eggplant cools, take a small bowl and mix 1 tbsp dark brown sugar, 2 tbsp dark soy sauce, 2 tbsp sake and 1 ½ tbsp mirin. Set by the stove for later.
- Once cool enough to touch, cut the eggplants down the middle lengthways without cutting all the way through. Open it out like a book, making several more incisions to help open it further.
- Press the surface with the surface of your knife to help flatten it further.
- Start heating your pan over a medium heat. While you wait, sprinkle the cut side of the eggplants with ½ tbsp all-purpose flour.
- Once hot, drizzle 1 tbsp cooking oil into the pan and place the eggplants inside with the flour-dusted side facing down.
- Once golden, carefully flip the eggplants with a spatula and brown on the other side.
- Pour in the sauce from earlier and carefully move the eggplants around the pan to fully coat them in the sauce. Continue to cook until the sauce has thickened, then remove the pan from the heat.
- Divide 2 portions cooked Japanese short-grain rice between serving bowls and brush with the leftover sauce from the pan. Sprinkle with shredded sushi nori seaweed "kizami nori". For a spicy kick, add some wasabi to the rice.
- Place the eggplant kabayaki on top, then sprinkle with finely chopped green onions and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
I stumbled across your website and was instantly enchanted by your photo of this Kabayaki Nasudon! I’m weary of cooking with eggplant from lack of successful experience, but your recipe was reassuring that this was easy to do and guaranteed to be delicious…
Chef Omura, this was fantastic! Even though I made some methodology mistakes (from fatigue) and flipped the eggplant several times (from poorly guessing the browning duration), your recipe is very forgiving! The texture, the flavours, WOW! I think I’m going to make this every day for a month now! And wait… you only published this recipe 7 days ago?! I’m so lucky you did, thank you so much for sharing!
I’m not good at aesthetic plating or food photography, but here is my delicious first attempt.
Hi JK VeganAbroad,
Thank you for your lovely comment and sharing your photo! Looking great! Definitely made my day! 🙂
I’m so happy to hear that this made you wanna make this everyday. It means a lot!
Yuto