Eggplant, Ground Beef Make a One-Dish Meal With a Japanese Flavor

“This is a recipe that I learned from a Japanese friend in Japan when I was living there,” Lynn Thompson writes. “Everyone that has tasted this one-dish dinner has enjoyed it.”

EGGPLANT-GROUND BEEF

SICHUAN

1 pound ground beef

1 medium eggplant, diced

Salt, pepper

3 tablespoons miso paste

1/2 cup warm water

3 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon ground chili paste or crushed dried chiles

2 tablespoons vinegar

1/2 small bunch green onions, chopped

Soy sauce, optional

Brown ground beef in skillet. Drain off excess fat. Stir in eggplant. Add salt and pepper to taste. Cover and cook until almost tender.

Mix miso paste with warm water. Add to eggplant. Stir in honey and chili. Add vinegar and simmer gently 10 to 15 minutes, stirring frequently. Stir in green onions. Adjust salt and pepper or add soy sauce to taste. Makes 4 to 6 servings.

--LYNN THOMPSON

Manhattan Beach

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