Name: How To Make Eggplant Unagi (Vegan Unagi Don)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 5 min
Total time: 10 min
Yield: 1
Cuisine: Japanese
Ingredients: 2 Small Eggplants; 3 Tbsp Cooking Sake; 3 Tbsp Mirin; 2.5 Tbsp Soy Sauce; 2.5 Tbsp Sugar; 1 Tbsp Cooking Oil; Steamed Rice, as needed; Chopped Green Onion (garnish, optional); Sansho Powder (Japanese Pepper), optional

How To Make Eggplant Unagi (Vegan Unagi Don)

Easy Eggplant Summer Under 30 Minutes Vegan Vegetarian Weeknight Dinner Idea

We have four distinctive seasons in Japan, and each season has its own harvest. The main ingredient used in this recipe is eggplant (Nasu), which is in season during summer. We are going to introduce a fun-to-make recipe using summer eggplant.

Besides eggplant being in season, we also have Doyo no Ushi no Hi, translated as “the midsummer day of the ox” in English, when eating eel is believed to prevent fatigue from the summer heat. Each year, the specific days are different, but in 2024, they fall on July 24 and August 5.

With these in mind, now is the best time of the year to make this recipe!

As you know, there is a popular dish called “Unagi no Kabayaki (grilled eel)” in Japan where eel is grilled over charcoal and coated several times with a savory sweet soy sauce-based family-secret sauce. The fragrance during grilling makes people's mouths water, and once you take a bite, you can savor the grilled aroma and fluffy texture with its savory flavor.

Unagi no Kabayaki is often served as is, but usually comes with steamed rice in a bowl or Jubako. The dish is called “Una-ju” and is enjoyed as a special meal rather than an everyday one.

As preparing and cooking eel (Unagi) requires special skills, this dish is typically enjoyed at Unagi specialty restaurants. Since cooking Unagi at home is rarely an option, this substitute recipe has gained popularity. This “Nasu no Kabayaki (grilled eggplant)” dish looks quite similar to Unagi no Kabayaki and is easy to prepare. It's also vegetarian and vegan-friendly.

The key tips for this recipe include peeling the skin off the eggplants and flattening them, which gives them a soft and succulent texture as well as an appetizing appearance.

Because this recipe uses only eggplants, it can be suitable for vegans. Feel free to enjoy cooking Nasu no Kabayaki and experimenting with how closely you can replicate the visual appeal of Unagi no Kabayaki.

Overview

Prep time: 5 mins

Cook time: 5 mins

Total time: 10 mins

Total servings: 1

Difficulty: Easy

Ingredients

2 Small Eggplants
3 Tbsp Cooking Sake
3 Tbsp Mirin
2.5 Tbsp Soy Sauce
2.5 Tbsp Sugar
1 Tbsp Cooking Oil
Steamed Rice, as needed
Chopped Green Onion (garnish, optional)
Sansho Powder (Japanese Pepper), optional

Expert's Tip

P-1-YWTA-SANSHO-BN12-Yawataya Isogoro Sansho Pepper (Japanese Pepper) 12g.jpg

If you are looking for Sansho powder, we have it available on our website. It is perfect for enhancing not only Unagi, but also other dishes such as fried chicken and grilled fish. Just a sprinkle can completely transform your dish, adding a refreshing flavor that delights your palate.

Instructions

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1) Gathering the Ingredients

Gather the ingredients together.

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2) Peeling the Eggplants

Remove the stems and peel the skin off the eggplants.

removing extra moisture from the eggplants with paper towels

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3) Microwaving the Peeled Eggplants

Microwave the peeled eggplants for 3 minutes at 600W with plastic wrap on. Remove the excess water from the eggplants using paper towels.

flattening the eggplant with the back of a knife

flattened eggplants that look like unagi

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4) Shaping the Eggplants like Unagi

Place the eggplants on a cutting board and make a shallow slit in the center. Open the slit to both sides as shown in the picture. Once the eggplants are flattened, shape them like Unagi using the side of the knife.

flipping the eggplants and letting them cook on the other side

adding the sauce to the cooked eggplants

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5) Cooking the Eggplants

Prepare a frying pan and add cooking oil. Place the eggplants in the pan with the inner part facing down. Heat over medium heat until they turn golden brown.

While cooking the eggplants, mix cooking sake, mirin, soy sauce, and sugar in a bowl.

Once the eggplants are ready, add the seasoning mixture to the frying pan. Cook for about 3 minutes, turning the eggplants over and coating them evenly with the seasoning mixture.

*Be careful not to overheat.

plating the eggplant unagi and topping it with sansho powder

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6) Serving the Eggplant Unagi

Serve the steamed rice in a bowl and place the eggplants on top. Sprinkle with Sansho powder and chopped green onion. Enjoy!

About the author

Megumi Moriya

Megumi is a recipe writer based in Chiba, Japan. She carries a Bachelor in the Faculty of Foreign Studies and is interested in creating content about Japanese cuisine and traditional confectioneries. Megumi is most interested in making Japanese recipe content, and in her free time, she likes to play the piano, make handcrafted goods, and hula dance. She hopes to inspire Japanese Taste readers to make Japanese recipes at home and of course share more about Japanese culture.

View articles by Megumi Moriya