While there are various methods to make vegan unagi, I’ve found that the easiest method that results in the closest texture is to use eggplant. By pan-frying and then steaming it in unagi sauce, the eggplant can absorb a ton of flavor. Then, the mock unagi is glazed and blasted with a torch to caramelize the sauce and give it a smoky flavor.
Why This Recipe Works?
Cutting slits in the eggplant helps it soak up the flavors of the sauce and gives it an appearance that closely resembles unagi. Pan-frying the eggplant in oil gives the surface of the eggplant a beautiful mahogany hue while imparting a rich creaminess that evokes the mouthfeel of unagi. Glazing and then torching the eggplant at the end caramelizes the sauce, giving the eggplant a lacquered appearance with just a bit of char. Serving this over rice cooked with tofu and ground sesame seeds boosts the protein content of this meal and adds a wonderful nutty flavor that compliments the savory-sweet vegan unagi.
Ingredients for Vegan Unagi
Eggplant - I used Japanese eggplant for this because its relatively slender shape looks the most like unagi, but any eggplant with relatively few seeds, such as Italian or Chinese, should work. Oil - Unagi gets its creamy texture because it contains a lot of fat. To mimic this texture, you need to add a bit of oil to the eggplant. The oil also helps brown the surface of the eggplant, giving it a more convincing grilled unagi appearance. Sake - Kabayaki sauce has the same ingredients as teriyaki sauce, but because we need to steam the eggplant to cook it, I include a little extra sake, so there is enough liquid in the pan. The alcohol burns off while cooking, so you don’t need to worry about that. As for the type of sake to use, I have a video explaining why sake is used in Japanese cuisine, so check that out for more details. Soy Sauce - The primary seasoning ingredient in unagi sauce is soy sauce. I used Kikkoman soy sauce for this. Sugar - Sugar balances out the soy sauce’s saltiness and gives the glaze its shiny appearance. If you want this to be vegan, make sure you use evaporated cane sugar instead of white sugar.
How to Make Vegan Unagi
Trim both ends from the eggplant and then cut it half lengthwise. Make a slit down the center of the cut surface about ⅔ of the way through. Be careful not to cut too deep, or your eggplant will fall apart. Make shallow slits in the cut surface of the eggplant about ⅛-inch apart from one end to the other. The slits Cut shallow slits ⅛-inch apart down the length of the cut surface of the eggplant. These slits are primarily cosmetic and only need to be about 1/20-inch deep. Add the oil to a frying pan over medium-high heat and place the eggplant in the pan with the cut side down. Use a spatula to press down on the eggplant to ensure the cut surface makes good contact with the pan and let them fry until they’re golden brown. Once they have some good color, flip them over and then add the sake, soy sauce, and sugar to the pan (make sure you get the sugar in the pan and not on top of the eggplant). Cover with a lid and adjust the temperature to maintain a full simmer. Steam the eggplant until it is tender (about 7 minutes. Be sure to flip the eggplant over about halfway through and keep an eye on the amount of liquid in the pan to ensure it doesn’t burn (you can add some water if it’s looking too thick). When the eggplant is cooked through, transfer it to a wire rack with the cut-side facing up. You can gently press on the eggplant a bit to flatten it out if you like. The sauce in the pan should be thick and syrupy at this point, but if it’s not, you can boil it for a little longer to thicken it up. Next, use a spoon or pastry brush to glaze the tops of the eggplant with the unagi sauce in the pan. Use a kitchen torch to caramelize and lightly char the glaze on the eggplant. It’s crucial the air-fuel mixture of your torch is set correctly, or your food will end up tasting like gas (see the video below for more info on this). If you don’t have a torch, you can also use an oven set to broil. Serve the vegan unagi over rice with any remaining unagi sauce drizzled over the rice. Garnish with chopped scallions.
Tableware
The bowl, condiment plate and chopstick rest pictured above was sent over by Musubi Kiln. They have a fantastic selection of both classic and modern Japanese ceramics and tableware and they ship around the world. Get 5% off your order by using coupon code “NORECIPES” at checkout.
Other Plant-Based Japanese Recipes
Tofu Karaage Miso Eggplant Mushroom Tempura Vegetable Gyoza
📖 Recipe
