Eggplant & Edamame
Why I love it
Eggplant is underrated. There, I said it. Also I think it tastes delicious with Asian-inspired flavors. And we all know that edamame is the mami of vegan protein. Seriously, you can buy it frozen and steam it for 5 minutes and it’s a perfect protein source. Why not combine these two wholesome ingredients add a balanced sauce to tie them together? I present to you: Eggplant & Edamame.
Ingredients
1 medium-sized eggplant
1 cup frozen edamame
¼ cup soy sauce
⅛ cup + 1 tbsp water
2 tbsps agave
1 tbsp cornstarch
1 tbsp rice vinegar
½ tsp garlic powder
½ tsp ginger powder
Olive oil to taste
Salt and pepper to taste
Optional: rice of your choice, green onions, sesame seeds
Replacements
You can easily replace the eggplant with a different vegetable such as broccoli or bok choy. As for the agave, you can substitute maple syrup.
Recipe
Steam your frozen edamame according to package instructions.
Meanwhile, cut your eggplant into cubes. Begin to pan fry on high with olive oil. After 3 minutes, lower the heat.
While this is caramelizing, start making the vegan teriyaki sauce. Combine cornstarch with 1 tbsp of water in a small bowl to make a slurry.
In a small pan on the stove, add the soy sauce, agave, rice vinegar, garlic powder, ginger powder, and ⅛ cup of water. Once this is simmering, add in the slurry.
Flip the eggplant cubes over and season with salt and pepper to taste. Once the sauce has thickened, pour it over the eggplant in the pan.
Take the edamame out of the shells and into the pan. Allow the edamame to get coated in the sauce. Serve with rice, green onions, and sesame seeds. Enjoy!
