Oola’s Creamy Sesame-Eggplant Spaghetti (Eggplant Mayonnaise Sesame Spaghetti)

Okay, in English, that maybe doesn’t sound so good, but remember, we’re using delicious Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise. Yum.

This a recipe by food writer and blogger Oola, featured in Radish Lad’s monthly magazine Salad. This recipe is from the July issue and is super simple and quick to put together. Perfect Friday dinner.

Creamy Sesame Eggplant Spaghetti

160 g spaghetti
2 eggplants (Asian/ladyfinger)
2 large cloves garlic, finely cut
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
soy sauce
mirin (sweet cooking wine – check your local Asian supermarket)
3 Tbsps hot water (from the spaghetti pot)
2 Tbsps mayonnaise (Kewpie mayonnaise)
2 Tbsps toasted sesame seeds
red pepper threads, finely cut green shiso

Cook spaghetti as directed.

Cut the eggplants in half, and then cut each half into four lengthwise slices. Place the sliced eggplant on a sheet of tinfoil, sprinkle to salt and pepper to taste and ½ Tbsp of olive oil, close the tinfoil tightly, and bake in a toaster oven or under a medium grill for 10 minutes.

Add the remaining ½ Tbsp olive oil and garlic to a large frypan and heat over a low flame until fragrant. Add the eggplant, soy sauce, mirin and water and stir-fry.

Add the cooked spaghetti and mayonnaise to the eggplant, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve topped with chilli threads and finely sliced green shiso as desired.

Serves 2. 663 cal per serve.

Fried rice. You’d think it would be easy

A couple of weeks ago I was checking Nicole’s Bites From Other Blogs, which mentioned Eat Me, Delicious. OMG, how had I not found Eat Me, Delicious before! Brilliant vegetarian recipes AND baking.

I found lots of great looking recipes which I’m looking forward to trying, but the first one I tried was Fried Brown Rice with Spring Onions, Edamame and Tofu. Yum! Ingredients I love and on hand too. I’d forgotten how hard it is to get fried rice just right – hard to get the right ‘para-para’ texture to the rice.

Mine turned out more like an ojiya than chahan, but still tasted great – and Isaac was very impressed with all the edamame hiding in his rice!


Fried rice with spring onions, edamame and tofu

1 Tbsp plus 1 tsp canola oil
2 large cloves garlic, minced
4 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 Tbsp peeled and minced fresh ginger
4 cups cooked brown rice
3/4 cup seeded and finely diced red bell pepper
3/4 cup frozen shelled edamame, cooked according to package directions and drained
1/2 cup fresh or frozen (thawed) corn kernels
170 g firm tofu, cut into 1 cm cubes
2 large eggs, beaten
3 tbsp low-sodium soy sauce

Heat 1 tablespoon of the oil in a wok or large skillet over high heat until very hot but not smoking. Add the garlic, half the scallions and ginger and cook, stirring, until softened and aromatic, 1 to 2 minutes. Add the rice, red pepper, edamame, corn and tofu and cook, stirring, until heated through, about 5 minutes.

Make a 7.5 cm well in the centre of the rice mixture. Add the remaining teaspoon oil, then add the eggs and cook until nearly fully scrambled. Add the remaining spring onions and stir through the rice mixture. Add the soy sauce and incorporate thoroughly. Serve hot.