Mabo Nasu (Mapo Eggplant) is a Chinese influenced food that is very popular in Japan! It is easy to make and so delicious. We eat with a bowl of rice and you’ll possibly fall in love with it as a new favorite dish!
What is Japanese Mabo Nasu (Mapo Eggplant)?
Mapo Eggplant is called Mabo Nasu (麻婆茄子) in Japan. It is made with fried eggplant and ground pork with a sweet, savory, and a little bit spicy sauce. The original Chinese dish that inspired Mabo Nasu is referred to as Fish Fragrant Eggplant (魚香茄子). The Japanese version is much milder and easier to eat.
In Japan this dish is especially popular in summer but it is so tasty in any season!
What you need to make Mabo Nasu (Ingredients)
I love simple and easy cooking, and I think Mabo Nasu is one of the foods fits that category perfectly.
- Eggplant
- Ground Pork
- Doubanjiang
- Mirin
- Miso
- Soy Sauce
- Sugar
- Sesame oil
- Cornstarch or potato starch
That’s it! Some people may not have Miso, Mirin and Doubanjiang, but they are used often in Japanese/Asian cooking so they’re worth buying if you don’t have any yet!
Besides those three ingredients, you can buy the rest almost anywhere.
My grandma’s Mapo Eggplant (Mabo Nasu) recipe
Here are the easy steps for making Mabo Nasu! (There is a more detailed version of this recipe below as well)
- Cut the eggplants into bit size chunks
- Cook the eggplants with Sesame oil
- Add the ground pork and cook until it’s cooked through
- Mix Miso, Mirin, Sugar, Soy Sauce, and Doubanjiang in a bowl
- Add the sauce mixture to the pan and mix well
- Add Cornstarch or potato starch to add thickness to the mixture
These are the only steps required for the easiest and tastiest Mabo Nasu.
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Mabo Nasu ( Mapo Eggplant )
Ingredients
- 1 Eggplant Somewhere between 300-350g is perfect.
- 250-280 g Ground pork
- 2 Tablespoon Miso
- 2 Tablespoon Mirin
- 1 Tablespoon Sugar
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 1/2 teaspoon doubanjiang If you prefer spicier, add 1 tsp
- 1/2 Tablespoon Cornstarch or potato starch
- 1/2 teaspoon garlic
- 1 teaspoon Sesame oil finishing touch
Instructions
- Gather all the ingredients
- Cut eggplant into about 0.6 inch chunks (the size you can eat easily).
- Heat a pan on medium. When the pan becomes warm add 3 tbsp oil and the cut eggplant.
- Cook the eggplant until they get softer, then move them to a bowl.
- Put garlic the ground pork into the pan and cook on medium heat until it is cooked thoroughly.
- sauce : Add miso, mirin, sugar, soy sauce, and doubanjiang into a separate bowl and mix well.
- Add the eggplant and the sauce into the pan. Stir well for about 3-4 minutes. Cover with a lid and cook for 3 minutes.
- In a small bowl, add cornstarch (or potato starch) and 1tbsp water and mix them well until the cornstarch dissolves.
- Open the lid and add the mixed cornstarch into the pan and stir well. Add sesame oil as a finishing touch!
- Let's serve! Mabo Nasu is good with a bowl of rice.
Nutrition
This recipe was so good. We make this within 20 minutes and sooooo tasty
Thank you Jojo for the comment! I love quick and tasty recipe. I am so happy you like it!