Rolled Eggplant Rice Balls (Gaji Mari Jumeokbap)
Rolled Eggplant Rice Balls (Gaji Mari Jumeokbap)
Eggplant Rolled Rice Balls: Flavorful Vegan Rice Balls Wrapped in Eggplant! A Healthy Eggplant Dish with Tofu and Zucchini
With the lovely weather, it’s perfect for packing a picnic lunch! Today, I’ve prepared a unique eggplant dish that’s great as a picnic menu or a healthy snack.
Main Ingredients- 2 eggplants
- 150g cooked rice
- 3 sheets of fried tofu (aburaage)
- 1/2 zucchini
Seasonings & Stir-fry Ingredients- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tbsp Beomil soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Pinch of toasted sesame seeds
- Sriracha sauce (optional, for a spicy kick)
- 1 tsp minced garlic
- 2 tbsp cooking oil
- 1 tbsp Beomil soy sauce (or regular soy sauce)
- 1 tbsp sesame oil
- Pinch of toasted sesame seeds
- Sriracha sauce (optional, for a spicy kick)
Cooking Instructions
Step 1
Wash the eggplants thoroughly and slice them thinly, about 0.5 cm thick. Heat 1 tbsp of cooking oil in a pan over medium heat. Gently pan-fry the eggplant slices until they are golden brown and tender on both sides. Transfer the cooked eggplant slices to a paper towel to absorb any excess oil.
Step 2
In the same or another pan, add the remaining 1 tbsp of cooking oil and sauté the minced garlic over low heat until fragrant. Be careful not to burn the garlic. Add the finely chopped zucchini and diced fried tofu. Stir-fry over medium heat, then season with 1 tbsp of Beomil soy sauce. Continue to stir-fry until the zucchini and tofu are tender.
Step 3
In a bowl, combine the warm cooked rice with the stir-fried zucchini and tofu mixture. Add 1 tbsp of sesame oil and a pinch of toasted sesame seeds. Mix everything thoroughly. It’s best to mix while the rice is warm so the seasonings blend well. For a touch of heat, you can add a little Sriracha sauce.
Step 4
Shape the seasoned rice into bite-sized balls. Place one rice ball onto a slice of the pan-fried eggplant. Carefully roll the eggplant around the rice ball, trying not to tear the eggplant. Gently press to secure the shape. Repeat with the remaining rice and eggplant.
