This Asian Fusion Casserole draws from quite a few traditions, but the ultimate result? So scrumptious! A bed of tender eggplant supports savory, homemade pork meatballs in a thick, sticky, umami-packed teriyaki sauce, topped with scallions and crunchy peanuts… so, so good! It’s like the freshest, most delicious takeout without the need to unpack any of those white boxes! Asian Fusion Casserole is a sensational flavor performance your taste buds will love!
Ingredients
- 2 pounds eggplant, preferably Japanese, cut into 1-inch chunks
- 4 tablespoons peanut oil, divided
- 1/4 cup reduced-sodium tamari
- 1/4 cup rice wine or dry sherry
- 2 tablespoons light brown sugar, packed
- 2 tablespoons rice vinegar
- 2 tablespoons water
- 1 1/2 pounds lean ground pork
- 2 cloves garlic, minced
- 2 tablespoons fresh ginger, minced
- 1/4 teaspoon ground white pepper
- salt, to taste
- 1/4 cup cornstarch
- 4 scallions, cut into 2-inch pieces
- 1/2 cup fresh cilantro, chopped
- 1/4 cup lightly salted peanuts, chopped
- 1 small red chile or sweet red pepper, seeded, minced
Directions
Step 1 –Preheat the oven to 425 degrees F.
Step 2 –In a 9×13-inch baking dish, add the chunks of eggplant and 2 tablespoons of the peanut oil, tossing to thoroughly coat the eggplant pieces.
Step 3 –Bake until the eggplant begins to turn brown, about 30 minutes.
Step 4 –In a small bowl, add the tamari, the rice wine, the brown sugar, the rice vinegar, and the water and stir until the sugar is dissolved.
Step 5 –In a medium bowl, add the pork, the garlic, the ginger, the white pepper, and the salt and mix it together gently but thoroughly.
Step 6 –Form the pork mixture into about 18 meatballs, using about 3 tablespoons of the meat mixture for each.
Step 7 –In a shallow dish, add the cornstarch.
Step 8 –Roll the meatballs in the cornstarch until they are well-coated. Discard any remaining cornstarch after all of the meatballs are coated.
Step 9 –In a large, nonstick skillet over medium-high heat, add the remaining oil.
Step 10 –Add the meatballs to the hot oil and cook, while turning occasionally, until golden, about 5-7 minutes.
Step 11 –Add the reserved sauce to the meatballs and cook, turning the meatballs to coat, until the sauce is slightly thickened, about 1-2 minutes.
Step 12 –Add the meatballs, the sauce, and the scallions to the baking dish with the eggplant.
Step 13 –Bake the casserole until the eggplant is very tender and the meatballs reach an internal temperature of 165 degrees F, about 15 minutes.
Step 14 –In a small bowl, add the cilantro, the peanuts, and the red pepper and stir or toss to combine.
Step 15 –Sprinkle the peanut mixture over the casserole.
Step 16 –Serve.
