Crispy Doenjang Eggplant and Trumpet Mushrooms

Ingredients

• 1 cup neutral oil for frying

• 1 large eggplant or 2 Japanese eggplants, cut into chunks the size of a nickel

• 4 tablespoons corn starch

• 2 cups of trumpet mushrooms, sliced into rounds

• 1/4 cup warm water

• 1 tablespoon Doenjang (fermented soybean paste)

• 1/4 cup soy sauce

• 2 tablespoons brown sugar

• 2 tablespoons sesame oil

• 4 cloves of garlic, minced

• 1 inch of ginger, grated

• 4 scallions, diced

• 1 cup, enoki mushrooms with the bottoms cut off

• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar

• 2 cups cooked white rice

• 2 tablespoons sesame seeds

Preparation

1. In a large skillet over high heat, add your 1 cup of vegetable oil. Let it heat up to 350 ºF. It should bubble when you stick a chop stick in the oil.

2. In a medium bowl toss together your 1 chopped eggplant with 2 tablespoons of corn starch until it is evenly coated.

3. Add your chopped eggplant and 2 cups of chopped trumpet mushrooms in batches to your preheated oil. Make sure to space them out so none are touching. Let them cook over medium-high heat for about 4 minutes per side. You will know they are ready to flip when they are a deep golden brown. Once they reach that color, use tongs to flip them each individually so that the other side can reach the deep golden brown. Once both sides of all the eggplant and mushroom in the pan are cooked, remove them and add them to a paper towel lined plate. Repeat the frying process with the remaining eggplant and mushrooms until they are all cooked.

4. Meanwhile, in a small mixing bowl combine 1/4 cup of water, 1 tablespoon Doenjang, 1/4 cup soy sauce, 2 tablespoons brown sugar, and 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. In another bowl whisk together 2 tablespoons of corn starch with 2 tablespoons of hot water until fully combined. Then, add it into the Doenjang sauce. Make sure to whisk it all together quickly.

5. In a large skillet, add 2 tablespoons sesame oil, 4 cloves of minced garlic, 1 inch of grated, and 4 diced scallions. Cook over medium heat, stirring frequently until the garlic begins to brown. Then add in the cup of enoki mushrooms and the Doenjang sauce. Whisk everything together and cook until the sauce thickens enough to coat the back of a spoon. Then, add in your fried eggplant and mushrooms along with 1 tablespoon rice vinegar. Stir everything together and turn off the heat.

6. Serve it immediately over the 2 cups of white rice and top it with sesame seeds.

Notes

• Servings: ~ 4 people