unagi don

Learn how to make a plant based version of one of Japans most loved dishes, Unadon (grilled 'eel' rice bowl) with eggplants! Seasoned and caramelized with homemade unagi sauce, this vegan unagi don (eggplant kabayaki) tastes and looks just like to the real deal!

Vegan Unagi Don (Eggplant Kabayaki) うなぎ丼 

eggplants eggplant

potato starch,

tbsp sake (45 milliliters)

mirin (45 milliliters)

kombu dashi powder, optional

tbsp cane sugar (36 grams)

tbsp Japanese soy sauce (45 milliliters)

nori (seaweed)

Japanese short grain rice (600 grams)

sesame seeds, optional

PREPARE EGGPLANT: Cut off the top of the eggplant. Keel the skin on or peel and remove the outer skin. If keeping the skin on, be sure to poke holes into it so it does not explode when cooking. 

TO STEAM: Place eggplants into a steamer and let it steam for 4-5 minutes (rotate it at 2.5 minutes). 

TO MICROWAVE: Place in a microwave safe dish with a lid and microwave at 600 W for 1 1/2 minutes. Turn the eggplant to the other side and microwave for another 1.5 minutes. If you do not have a microwave safe dish with a lid large enough to fold the eggplant, wrap the eggplant with cling wrap and microwave with the same amount of time on a plate. 

TO ROAST: Bake eggplants ar 350 F for 30 minutes, rotating half way. Slice the eggplant vertically down the middle without slicing all the way through. Open the eggplant with your fingers and to open it up. Gently slice horizontally to make eel-like marks on both sides, ensuring not to cut too deep (this step is optional but makes it look more like eel). 

SAUCE OPTION: If you prefer a one-pan mathod, skip this step. Add sake, mirin, kombu dashi powder and cane sugar to a sauce pan over medium heat and whisk together. Once it comes to a boil, add soy sauce and then reduce heat to low. Allow it to simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened up. Making the sauce on the side can help with over-cooking the eggplant. 

PAN FRY EGGPLANT: Lightly dust with potato starch. Over medium heat, add 2 tbsp of cooking oil and place the eggplant flat on the frying pan. Cook each side for 2-3 minutes or until you get some nice charring.

ONE PAN METHOD (skip if sauce is made on the side): Add sake, mirin and dashi stock powder. Swirl the the pan and then add the sugar and soy sauce. Soy sauce is always added at the end to prevent loss of flavour and burning.Swirl the pan once more and let it cook and simmer for 30-45 seconds. Flip the eggplant and swirl the pan once more and cook until sauce is mostly absorbed and reduced. Turn off the heat and then spoon the sauce over the eggplant.

PREPARED SAUCE METHOD: Brush the unagi sauce on one side and then flip and coat the other side. Repeat until you get enough glaze on the eggplant (I do it about 2-3 times). 

TORCH OR BROIL: Torch the eggplant. If you do not have a torch, broil for 2-3 minutes or until 'smoky'.   Sprinkle with Japanese pepper and sesame seeds if desired.

I saw this recipe posted and knew I had to try it! 
It was so simple and I was able to make it in less than 10 minutes. I personally don't like unagi but love the sauce so this recipe was a perfect recreation of all the flavor of the dish but without the actual eel. 
I didn't have a torch on hand but felt like it was still an amazing dish without it.
Definitely give it a try!

This is the best recipe for eggplant I have ever seen!😍😍😍😍😍
Love it and already - tasted. 
Simply Delicious! 
ありがと🌱🇯🇵🤗

I was wondering if you could sub potato starch for cornstarch ? Can’t wait to try this recipe out!!!

I’ve been vegetarian for 5 years and vegan for 2 months now and I have been craving this dish for years. So glad I tried it , so easy and so quick to make. I used corn starch as a starch substitute and white wine instead of sake and it turn out great. I’ve already made it 2 days in a row ! New go to meal. Thanks for the great recipe!

Made this on a cast iron and the charring came out perfect! I even got my husband, who is not the biggest fan of eggplant (but he loves eel). He really liked this one too. I'll def be making this again, this was such a fast and easy weeknight dinner!

I had some eggplant in the fridge that needed to be used up, and came across this recipe. It’s so good! A new (to me) way to use eggplant that isn’t just roasting it. It was my first time cooking eggplant in the microwave—why haven’t I done it before!? So easy and quick! Used a cast iron skillet after, for the grilling, and it turned out so well. Paired the rice dish with some ramps kimchi. Yum.

This was an amazing recipe! It really tastes what i remember eel taste like, I guess only thing is the texture is better!!

I didn't use a cast iron but will next time to get more char. And I used less sugar which turned out great. I used a regular eggplant, not a japanese one but this was amazing!

The minute I saw this recipe I quickly added eggplant to the shopping list! Super easy and quick to prepare! Cooking the eggplant in the microwave helped soften the eggplant and evaporated some of liquid which helped the eggplant char and brown nicely in the pan. The browning also helped create a thin crust around the edges which was super flavourful. Overall, this recipe is a must try! Definitely will be making this again! 😃👍🏻

Was so easy and delicious over rice. Like all her recipes I would recommend 10/10 for taste and simplicity.

I’ve just made and you guys should definitely try this gourgeous recipe! I’m in totally in love 🍆💜 the texture and flavor are just magical!!

I’ve tried this recipe for the first time yesterday. After a big shopping spree at my favorite asian supermarket I got to work immediately. I have to admit I’ve never used eggplant before so this was my first time. It is a super easy recipe and I was done quite fast. I also made the spinach salad and the fried lotus roots recipe to incorporate into my dinner. The result was amazing! The eggplant was similair to fish and the lotus roots were super crunchy and tasty. You should definitely try it!! 💜🍆

I haven't had unagi since going vegan six years ago, so I was VERY excited to see this simple recipe and video tutorial on Instagram. I tried it last night, and it is SO easy and delicious. I can't believe how simple eel sauce is. I look forward to trying it again when I can find smaller Japanese or Chinese eggplant. I had to use a regular eggplant, and the texture wasn't my favorite. But the flavor and look of this dish are SPOT ON. Thank you!

I wanted to try this recipe as soon as I saw it. Having family in Japan I used to go to visit them quite often. One of my favorite things of course while being there was to enjoy the food. I love fish but I never really enjoyed eating unagi (my brother would always end up happily eating my serving of unagi don) so seeing this alternative, I HAD to try it. It was perfect, you still get the deliciousness from the sauce while enjoying the eggplant. Put it to the test with my Japanese mum and she loved it as well. Super simple, 100% recommend.

It’s such a quick, simple and delicious dish! And the sauce is AMAZING 😍

Love This! Because of my Lack of Microwave I had to Steam it, still turned out great &lt;3

I have never try eel but was surprised at how "fishy" this tasted... It really has a "sea" taste in the eggplant and I loved it. It was easy to make and actually really quickly, the sauce is so rich, everything was on point. Thank you!

This was the first recipe I made from Lisa. OMG.
Took me back to the side streets of Tokyo ❤❤❤
Simply amazing. I am making so much food by her now... everything is so well thought out.

Lisa is gift 🙏

This is one of the best, and easiest dishes to make! One of the tastiest too. Filling and delicious. Will definitely make this again! So good!

Have been dying to make this recipe since I first saw it and it did not disappoint! I’m an omnivore and could easily turn vegan if every dish was as easy and delicious to make as this!

I love unagi &amp; eggplants. So this recipe is perfect!! Easy to make. Even my son who does not like eggplants liked that😊
Must try this recipe!!!!

As easy as advertised! The recipe was definitely fluid enough for what I had available in my kitchen and the results were undeniably tasty. Appreciated the kabayaki sauce tip about adding the shoyu last, will remember that for future cooking adventures. Thank you for another recipe in the repertoire! 🙏🏽

This recipe was so easy to make and it’s REALLY tasty !
I never thought that eggs plants could turn into such an amazing dish like this and I’ll  definitely make again not only to my self but friends and family as well😊

I changed the recipe since I do not have mirin and sake on my shelf. So I used Shaoxing wine, agava juice, Stirfrysauce and a splash of rice vinegar instead and still turned on so great!! 
This is now my fave way to get my Eggplant/unagi fix. 

Thank you very much 😊

Super delicious - just the right balance of salty and sweet with a pleasant smokiness from the charred bits. Takes no time at all to make and it looks so much like actual unagi. Will definitely be remaking this!

This recipe is honestly a godsend and something that will be in my regular rotation, one of the best and surprisingly simple vegan recipes I’ve tried!

I subbed a couple ingredients since I didn't have them on hand for my first try but I will definitely be making this again so I will look for the Mirin and Dashi at my local Asian markets. The substitution I made was, for Mirin I used rice vinegar and for Dashi I used 'chicken' flavoured bouillon. Came out great! Even my non vegan friend asked for the recipe!

I am not a very good cook and was so nervous to make this but it looked so good I had to try it.
And  it was AMAZING! OH MY GOD! It’s my new favorite dish! The only disappointment was that I only made one eggplant and ate it all! Please make this dish and be prepared to want to make it all the time because it’s sooooooo darn good !!!! And from a non cook-its also not even difficult to make but makes you feel like you jus made a masterpiece of a meal! 
MAKE IT! 
It’s AMAZING!

this recipe was super easy to make and so so good!! 100% looking forward to making more from okonomi kitchen :)

Unagi is one of my fav seafood dishes ever and this recipe is so good I could barely tell the difference!!! The flavor is spot on and super beginner friendly as well! Def going to be stocking up on eggplants to make more because this is going in my regular meal prep rotation!

I must say this deserve a 11/10!!! Not only it is easy to follow but it’s also SO DAMN GOOD! I topped them with some wasabi Furikake with rice and served then to my non vegan family as well they loved it so so much!

so super good and simple!!! i love eggplant in any way and this just hits all the right spots for a yummy bowl. we made extra sauce for the rice too, so good, definitely a worthy weeknight meal :)

I made this tonight to break my fast after seeing her Tiktok and oh my god. It was so easy AND delicious! You guys have to try it, Lisa is a genius!

Excellent recipe. So easy to make! Made it for lunch and my picky eater kids finished the entire bowl! This is a must try! We are not vegans or vegetarians but looking for ways in incorporate more conscious foods and this was an easy way to do so.

I cook mostly plant-based dishes at home and when I saw her tiktok on this recipe during Ramadhan, I just had to try it and oh. my. god. Lisa is a genius!!! Please try it you guys!

This was amazing did not expect it 🤤🤤

Love this recipe! It was legit so easy to make and so good. Sauce and texture reminded me so much of unagi…. I need to say that torching MADE the dish! The crispy, slightly burnt and smoky smell was crazy accurate to unagi. Please go make this and make your tummy happy!

LOVE this dish!!! I saw your video on Monday, and have made it twice this week since then. This recipe is so quick and easy, and everything but the eggplant I already had in my pantry!

Quite possibly the best eggplant recipe ever! 😭 Everything about this was perfection. It even fooled my boyfriend (not vegan) and we just loved it. Will be making this more in the future.

This dish is THE TRUTH. I absolutely love eggplant, especially the Japanese variety, so I went in with high hopes for this recipe and let me tell you, it did NOT disappoint! I just recently found Lisa’s Instagram and have spent the past week using her page as a reference for Asian grocery shopping and practicing Japanese flavor profile-building techniques. I’ve already made four of her dishes, but this one has been my favorite thus far!

This was so dang tasty!! I used the broiler for a couple minutes since I'm not hardcore enough to own a blowtorch (...yet) and it was perfect! I followed the same method with zucchini too, just cause I had lots in my fridge that I needed to use- also yielded delicious results! Will definitely be making again, thank you Lisa!

I made this recipe twice this week — it's so yummy!! I used cornstarch instead of potato starch because that's what I had. It worked totally fine! Also I put it under the broiler until it got a little extra char, since I don't own a blow torch. It worked great! Such a great quick meal with tons of flavour!

Ok so im not vegan but like trying alternatives per curiosity and this is the closest thing to texture and taste tobwing close to eel and its bow def one of my top dishes! I did substitute cornstarch for the potato starch and i think i added a biiit of fish sauce since i didnt have dashi but it came out perfect and i cant wait to try the other recipes!

Made this yesterday and it was absolutely delicious! I've been waiting for a day off to try the recipe because I thought it'd be time-consuming, but this was really not the case - got the eggplant done in about 30 minutes (baking time included!) along with some rice, fried tofu and a salad. This recipe is definitely a keeper!

So im not vegan but like to find alternatives for fun and this was SO good! It tasted and had the texture of eel and I never thought I’d like eggplant so much now! Cant wait to try thr other recipes

Amazing recipe that is so easy to make! It came together so quickly and I feel like this can be a staple recipe in my repetoire from now. I didn't have a blow torch so I finished mine on the top shelf of my grill (with eagle eyes). Have already recommended this recipe to my Japanese students who were amazed to know that there was an alternative to eel. 

There was a little sauce leftover so I threw it together with some stir fried cabbage, carrots, green pepper.

Tried this for dinner tonight! Whoa was it good - the addition of the seaweed makes it taste like the real thing! Thank you for sharing this - will be one of our dinner go to!

Amaaaahzing!!! 😋Made it two days in a row ! So quick so full of flavor! Can’t wait to try the salmon next ! You’ve inspired me to eat less meat ! 🥰

YES YES YES! this recipe is so good, directions are so clear and the taste point is legit.  didn't have sake so used some chinese cooking wine (slightly reduced amount) and it still turned out good! this is definitely going to be sticking around - thank you! gonna try your teriyaki fish recipe soon!

I absolutely LOVED this dish. Super quick,easy and YUMMY! Eggplant is not something I frequently eat,but after trying this out I can genuinely say it will definitely be a more common vegetable in my diet. I couldn’t help but recommend this to all of my friends! Thank you for sharing this recipe with us!10/10!

Absolutely loved this recipe! Made it twice last week and my entire family happily finished each batch I made! So happy I found this recipe. My mom, who grew up in Japan, eating this style of food (though unsurprisingly, not vegan) really enjoyed it too! It was just so comforting, and reminded me of all of the amazing food's she'd make us when I was younger. And of course, the (possibly) best part, was having sauce drip off of the 'unagi' onto the rice :D

So I definitely made this more than once today, and I absolutely am not ashamed of it! I never realized how good eggplant could possibly be and found myself loving this dish. It’s perfect, and the searing on both sides required less heat than I thought it would! This was one I immediately shared with friends, and my partner loved it too!

So easy and delicious!  And only take few minutes to make - my new go-to for a quick lunch. Very excited to try other recipes too!

This is such an amazing recipe. So simple but absolutely delicious.
I love this blog so much.
And Lisa pretty much thought about everything in this recipe, leaving no questions about the instructions or the cultural aspect of this dish. It's just amazing and I wish more blogs like this one would exist.

This is probably the only way I will cook eggplant from now on. I've already made this recipe 3 times! It's so quick and delicious, I'm obsessed. Just a note, if you don't have dashi you can honestly just sub with a splash of broth you have on hand, that's what I did. I don't know why this is the first time I'm seeing someone cut an eggplant like this but somehow it tastes better this way!

This was amazing! I made this but nigiri sushi style! So good!

I literally don't have the words to describe how satisfying this vega  version of the traditional Unagi don is...The Eggplant is the perfect alternative and absorbs all the flavours so well. My new favourite way to eat Eggplant!
So inventive- this one is a winner for vegans.

TO DIE FOR! I’m not vegan/vegetarian but I try to make a conscience effort a few times a week dedicated for vegan/vegetarian recipes. When she first posted this I KNEW I had to try…and it did NOT disappoint. SO good. I didn’t have Japanese eggplant at home but I had super small ones so there wasn’t a lot of seeds. I skipped microwaving them bc I sliced them thin on the mandolin. They were SO good. The torched flavor in my opinion, makes the dish 10/10. Will for sure make again! Thanks Lisa:)

This recipe is quick, easy and absolutely delicious! Tonight wasn’t my first time trying this recipe and it definitely will not be my last! Super great staple weeknight dinner. Thanks for this recipe, Lisa!

Super easy and tasty alternative to Unagi don! I'm not always able to get access to asian dishes but thank you for helping me satisfy my cravings. This will be a staple in my food making :)

The recipe was amazing, and so easy :) thank you girl! :)

I rate it 5 stars because I real l’y loved thé perfection balance of flavours and textures. I’m not a huge fan of eel’s texture, although I love the taste, so this alternative works perfection for me. Plus it’s super easy and Quick to make and oh so satisfying!!!
Thank youuuuu

I saw this recipe and immediately bought sake just so I could try it and boy, am I glad I did! Simple ingredients, easy technique, just a fabulous eggplant preparation I'd never considered. I finished mine with some kombu flakes for extra 'fishy' flavor and it was divine. Thanks!

I loved it! This was a really clever use of eggplant! Dinner was ready in about 15 minutes too as an added bonus!

What an amazing recipe! I wish I come across this recipe sooner 😂 Super easy to make, it took me about 10mins. It’s defo going to be my new go to meal😋😆

Loved it! The eggplant tasted juicy and the marinate was so yummy! I swapped out the sake and mirin for vodka because that was what I had at home and it tasted great! I already tried out the marinate on other vegetables and it was amazing. A new go-to recipe for me!

The recipe is amazing! It took me about 10mins and it’s super simple to make but it tastes way more than awesome 😆 It’s defo going to be my new go to meal😋🤩

Amazing. My wife doesn’t like eggplant but she loved this recipe. Definitely making this again ~

This recipe is cheap, easy and delicious! Recommended!

Best vegan unagi recipe! I have used another recipe in the past and Lisa's is by far the quicker, easier, and tastier option. I've already made this twice since the recipe was published and is one of my go-to recipes! I used regular eggplant and rice flour (instead of potato starch) and it comes out great! I rarely leave reviews but this one earned my time to write one out.

Love this recipe! Im not vegan  but this makes me want to try more vegan dishes for sure!! Mindblown!

This may be my very favorite eggplant recipe now. I LOVE eggplant, but I feel like I always run out of ideas for how to cook it in creative, tasty ways. This recipe is super easy, requires hardly any prep, and is just delicious. The eggplant comes out tender and flavorful. The nori on top of rice makes it absolutely perfect. I used cornstarch because I didn't have any potato starch - seemed to work great still!

This was SO GOOD! I left the skin on my egg plant. I also had to sub a couple ingredients but was still fantastic. I don’t have a torch so I used the broiler in my oven. It was delish!

Super easy to make and so delicious ✨😄 can only recommend

As someone who feels indifferent about eggplant this definitely gave me a new appreciation for the vegetable. 10/10 recipe and soooo easy.

This recipe is so good! Simple and easy to put together. The unagi sauce was spot on... Not vegan myself but love to try new things and who doesn’t love their vegetables? Definitely going to be doing this again. Thanks for sharing this amazing recipe.

Had 2 eggplants that were going to lose their cool and this genius recipe appeared at the right time while scrolling Instagram, how quick and easy this was to whip up ?! I’m unable to even. This is a recipe I will be showing a lot of people ! 🧡

Amazing recipe!! I made this 3 nights in a row because it was so good! This is the perfect recipe for when you’re kind of lazy but I want something tasty!

Made this for dinner tonight and it was AMAZING. 
Made a few other dishes to have with it and the unagi was the STANDOUT. 
Sweet, savory and so yummy. Will be making this every week. 
I think it will be amazing as a sushi filling as well. 
Thank you so much for this recipe - can’t wait to try more of yours !

Super easy and delicious! Personally, I added less sugar and more soy sauce to achieve the flavor I wanted. I think the sauce itself is amazing and would be great on tofu too. :)

This is a really good trick. We couldn’t believe we are eating eggplant. Can’t wait to make it again. I will probably use a bit less sugar next time, hope it will work.

This recipe was so easy to make! The sauce is incredibly tasty considering it's so few ingredients just dropped into the pan. My aubergine took a bit longer to cook in the oven (I don't have a microwave!) than the recipe stated but they were quite big aubergines so I'd factor this into the timings if you were making this dish.  When I make it again I'll slice a bit more deeply across as the aubergine was a bit hard to break up with chopsticks.

It was honestly the best eggplant I have ever made! Even my boyfriend said that it does taste like a fish because I put some furikake on it! I was seeing it on okonomikitchen’s story so much, because a lot of people have tried it and every time it was posted it makes me crave for it so bad! I finally did it and it was soooo good that I can’t wait to cook it again! Thank you so much!!! I might even turn vegan myself one day because of your delicious recipes! 😍😍😍

It was honestly the best eggplant I have ever made! Even my boyfriend said that it does taste like a fish because I put some furikake on it! I was seeing it on okonomikitchen’s story so much, because a lot of people have tried it and every time it was posted it makes me crave for it so bad! I finally did it and it was soooo good that I can’t wait to cook it again! Thank you so much!!! I might even turn vegan myself one day because of your delicious recipes! 😍😍😍😍😍

Love this recipe! I used cornstarch instead of potato starch and it was just fine. I'm not a vegan or vegetarian, but I like to eat plant-based meals as often as I can. Super satisfying, it's my go-to eggplant recipe now!

I made this the other and it was SO GOOD!! I loved how simple and fast it was to make! I definitely torched mine (it’s too much fun) and I think that was crucial coz it gave that char flavor that I love in Eel Unagi. If you don’t have a torch I’m sure it will still be really good, coz the sauce was so on point!

This is sooooo flavourful and so simple to make 😊😊

This is my new favorite way to cook eggplant! It's so simple and quick to make and absolutely delicious. Soothing, warm and addictive, can't believe this perfect meal only needed 6 ingredients and 10 mins to make. Can’t wait to try this sauce with other veggies and tofu too.

Made this today and it’s so easy and extremely tasty! love it!

Such an easy and delicious recipe. Of course it isn’t 100% like unagi but it is so good, especially for eggplant lovers. I wish I had a torch or a real grill to give more charred flavor like unagi, but regardless this comforting and tasty dish is definitely going into my weekly dinner rotation.

I love how little effort this is comparing to how much flavor you get in return! New go-to fast lunch idea, made a few times already &lt;3

This recipe is incredibly delicious! 
Even if you’re not into eggplant usually, I’d suggest you try this one. The eggplant haters among my friends are often bothered by its slightly  fishy taste - but as an eel substitute, this works perfektly ✨
This astoundingly simple recipe  transforms the eggplant into a soft, savory sweet dream, completely infused with the sugary soy sauce flavors, it’s just delightful! 

I served it over some vegetables for a lighter dinner but honestly I think rice is the perfect companion to make this vegan unagi the star of the show. Try it, go buy an eggplant right now !

Absolutely loved this! Super tasty and easy to make!

I had been wanting to try this recipe for months and I finally took it upon myself to do so for dinner a couple weeks ago and it was absolutely delicious! It really reminded me of unagi kabayaki except without the eel :) My boyfriend, who hates eggplant, actually loved this dish because it replicated the eel taste and texture so well! I've been transitioning over to plant-based foods for the past half year and Lisa really helps make it easier. Looking forward to trying your other recipes I have saved on my list!! ^_^

This is a must try recipe!! Who’d have ever thought that eggplant can replicate unagi so well?! The nori just makes the dish. I replaced the sake with dry sherry (what I had on hand), and the flavor was still excellent. Don’t miss this!

This recipe came together so quickly and was delicious! I’ve been looking to add more plant based foods into my lifestyle and this was perfect. 

The flavor was on point and texture was delicious with rice. The blow torch at the end gave it that nice char✨Thank you so much Lisa! I can’t wait to try other recipes😘

Super easy to make and so worth it! I matched my vegan unagidon with some homamade tsukemono and it was fantastic. Thank you Lisa for the inspo!

Best and easiest brinjal recipe for "unagi"

Super simple and delicious, really straightforward instructions

Tastes great with the skin left on too, and can be eaten hot or at room temp too!

I did not have sake so I doubled up on the mirin but it turned out delicious, just like the unagi sauce that you get at the sushi restaurants. This recipe was super quick and suuuper delicious, will definitely be making this again. Next time I'll get a blow torch to take it to the next level

Learn how to make a plant based version of one of Japans most loved dishes, Unadon (grilled 'eel' rice bowl) with eggplants! Seasoned and caramelized with homemade unagi sauce, this vegan unagi don (eggplant unagi kabayaki) tastes and looks just like to the real deal!

Vegan Unagi Don (Eggplant Unagi Kabayaki) うなぎ丼 

tbsp (45 mL) sake

tbsp 45 mL) mirin

tsp (2.5 g) kombu dashi powder, optional

tbsp (36 g) cane sugar

tbsp 45 mL) Japanese soy sauce

(450 g) cooked Japanese short grain rice

PREPARE EGGPLANT: Cut off the top of the eggplant. Keep the skin on or peel and remove the outer skin. If keeping the skin on, be sure to poke holes into it so it does not explode when cooking. 

TO ROAST: Bake eggplants at 350 F for 30 minutes, rotating half way. 

'BUTTERFLY': Slice the eggplant vertically down the middle without slicing all the way through. Open the eggplant with your fingers and to open it up. Gently slice horizontally to make eel-like marks on both sides, ensuring not to cut too deep (this step is optional but makes it look more like eel). 

SAUCE OPTION: If you prefer a one-pan method, skip this step. Add sake, mirin, kombu dashi powder and cane sugar to a sauce pan over medium heat and whisk together. Once it comes to a boil, add soy sauce and then reduce heat to low. Allow it to simmer for 5 minutes or until thickened up. Making the sauce on the side can help with over-cooking the eggplant. 

ONE PAN METHOD (skip if sauce is made on the side): Add sake, mirin and dashi stock powder. Swirl the the pan and then add the sugar and soy sauce. Soy sauce is always added at the end to prevent loss of flavour and burning. Swirl the pan once more and let it cook and simmer for 30-45 seconds. Flip the eggplant and swirl the pan once more and cook until sauce is mostly absorbed and reduced. Turn off the heat and then spoon the sauce over the eggplant.

Learn how to prepare and cook eel for the most delicious unagi donburi (grilled eel rice bowl) complete with homemade sauce from scratch! (Serves 2 and doesn't include cooking rice. See here for how to cook Japanese rice.)

Unagi donburi (Japanese grilled eel rice bowl)

tbsp turbinado sugar (light brown with coarse texture)

dark brown sugar

tbsp sake

mirin

soy sauce

filleted eels (approx 300 grams)

cooked rice

sansho pepper (optional)

Add 3 tbsp of turbinado sugar and 1 tsp dark brown sugar to a sauce pan. Place the pan on the stove and turn on the heat to medium-high.

Once the sugar starts to melt, add 5 tbsp sake and 5 tbsp mirin. Bring to boil and allow to cook for 1-2 minutes, stirring occasionally.

Add 5 tbsp of soy sauce and turn down the heat to simmer. 

Simmer until thickened slightly (about 10 minutes). Stir occasionally to prevent the sugar from burning.

Remove from the heat and allow to cool while preparing the eel.

Unagi Sauce

Wash the filleted eel with cold running water.

Cover a chopping board with a sheet of plastic wrap and place the eel on top. Cut each eel into 2-3 pieces by pressing a sharp knife into the area you want to cut, and pushing the eel back and forth over the plastic wrap.

Place the eel in a frying pan with the skin side down and add 2 tbsp of sake.

Turn on the heat to medium and steam for 5 minutes with the lid on.

Remove it from the heat and line the grill with aluminium foil. Preheat the grill on medium-high for 5 minutes.

Place the eel on the foil with the skin side down and grill for 6 minutes. 

Turn the eel over and grill the skin side for 5 minutes.

Apply the sauce generously but evenly over the skin and grill for 30 seconds.

Turn the eel over and apply the sauce on the meat side and grill for 30 seconds.

Repeat steps 8 and 9 twice more (3 times on each side in total). 

Dish up the rice and brush the surface with the leftover sauce.

Place the eel on top and sprinkle with sansho pepper.

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