Why This Recipe Works

Ground pork seasoned with sake, miso, and gochujang provides a spicy, savory-sweet counterpoint to creamy caramelized eggplant in this one-skillet meal. We start by halving slender Japanese eggplants and scoring the interior, creating channels for steam that cook the eggplants before the outside can burn and that also capture the meaty topping. Salting the eggplants for 15 minutes draws out moisture for a more concentrated flavor. We sear the eggplants in a covered skillet first and then continue at a lower heat to finish cooking it throughout. We use the same skillet to cook the pork, adding a mixture of gochujang, miso, sake, soy sauce, garlic, and ginger to create a glossy, robustly flavored sauce that coats the meat.

Before You Begin

Look for Japanese eggplants that are at least 4 ounces in size; if you use smaller ones, you may have a harder time fitting them all into the skillet at once.

Instructions

Cut 1 pound Japanese eggplants in half lengthwise. Using paring knife, score flesh of each eggplant half at ¼-inch intervals in crosshatch pattern, being careful not to cut through skin. Sprinkle ½ teaspoon table salt all over eggplants. Let stand for 15 minutes, then pat dry with paper towels.

Meanwhile, mix ½ cup water, 2 tablespoons sake, 1 tablespoon gochujang, 1 tablespoon red miso, 2 teaspoons cornstarch, 1 teaspoon soy sauce, and 1 teaspoon sugar together in bowl.

Heat 2 tablespoons vegetable oil in 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until shimmering. Add eggplants skin side down. Cook, covered, until skin is spotty brown, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip eggplants and drizzle 1 tablespoon oil around eggplants. Reduce heat to medium and continue to cook, covered, until eggplants are fully cooked through and tender, about 5 minutes longer. Transfer to large plate.

Add remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 8 ounces ground pork to now-empty skillet. Cook over medium heat, breaking up pork with wooden spoon, until cooked through, about 4 minutes.

Add 2 teaspoons grated ginger, 2 minced garlic cloves, and thinly sliced whites of 2 scallions and cook, stirring often, for 30 seconds. Stir in sake mixture and cook until sauce thickens, about 1 minute.

Off heat, stir in 1 teaspoon toasted sesame oil. Spoon pork mixture over eggplants. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon sesame seeds and thinly sliced greens of 2 scallions. Serve.