Brased Eggplant with Ground Chicken

Japanese dishes are always made simple with fewer ingredients but are still delicious. This tasty dish is one of them.  The people of the world who have the greatest longevity and happiness are the Japanese. I think we should learn to eat like them.

Ingredients:
2 eggplant
2 cup ground chicken or 1/2 lbs
1 cup chopped onions
2 garlic clove, minced
2 tsp vegetable oil
1tbsp sake
Sauce ingredients:
1 cup kelp broth
1 tbs soy sauce
2 tsp blackstrap molasses or sugar
Black pepper and chili flakes to taste
Thickening sauce ingredients:
1 tsp potato starch
2 tbs water

Garnish with chopped cilantro and green onions

Directions:
Wash the eggplant and then remove the end stalk. Cut the eggplant in half and then cut each half into diagonal pieces.

In a sauté pan, heat vegetable oil and then add the onion and garlic.

 Sauté for 1 minute and then add the ground chicken. Sauté the chicken until no longer pink.

Add eggplant and sear them on all sides. Add sake.

Add the sauce ingredients and bring to boil. Simmer for 5 to 15 minutes.

Combine the thickening sauce ingredients and add it to the eggplant sauce. 

 Cook further until the sauce has thickened. Serve and sprinkle with some chopped cilantro and green onions.