Ingredients
2 medium eggplants, sliced into 1-inch thick rounds
1 tablespoon sea salt, plus extra
¼ cup natural peanut butter
¼ cup maple syrup
¼ cup coconut aminos (or soy sauce)
1 clove garlic, finely grated with a rasp
2-inch piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated with a rasp heat-tolerant oil spray, such as avocado
ground black pepper, to taste
chili flakes, to taste (optional)
2 green onions, thinly sliced
1 sprig of fresh mint, leaves thinly sliced
¼ cup roasted and salted peanuts, coarsely chopped
Directions
By Laura Wright, The First Mess
Set a large colander in the sink. Place the rounds of eggplant into the colander. Sprinkle the tablespoon of salt over the eggplant and toss with your hands to evenly coat each slice in the salt. Let the eggplant rest for 20 minutes. While the eggplant is resting, make the peanut butter teriyaki sauce. In a medium bowl, whisk together the peanut butter, maple syrup, coconut aminos, garlic, and ginger. Once you have a smooth and unified sauce, set aside.
Preheat your grill to high. Place one clean kitchen towel and a large baking sheet on the counter. The eggplant should have let off quite a bit of moisture. Rinse the eggplant thoroughly, tossing the slices with your hands to get all of the excess salt off. Then transfer the rinsed eggplant slices to the clean kitchen towel. Pat the slices with the towel until they are completely dry. Transfer the dry eggplant slices to the baking sheet. Evenly spray both sides of the eggplant with the oil. Season the slices with salt, pepper, and chili flakes (if using) on both sides. Place the eggplant slices on the grill. Cook until char marks appear on the undersides, about 3 minutes. Using tongs, flip the eggplant slices over. Continue to cook until char marks appear on the other side and eggplant has softened, about another 3 minutes. Transfer the grilled eggplant to a serving platter. Drizzle the peanut butter evenly over the top of the eggplant. Garnish the dish with sliced green onions, sliced mint, and chopped peanuts. Serve immediately.
Nutrition information per serving:
Calories: 280
Fat: 14g
Trans fats: 0 g
Cholesterol: 0 mg
Carbohydrate: 36 g
Protein: 11 g
Sodium: 1060mg