Japanese Braised Eggplant

Ingredients

2 eggplants
120 ml dry sherry
80 ml tamari soy sauce
16 ml molasses
60 ml vegetable oil
160 gr tempeh
300 gr onions
4 gr fennel seeds
1 gr cayenne
2 gr coriander
1 green bell pepper
350 gr mushrooms
50 gr tomato paste

Instructions

Salt to taste Brown rice Chopped scallions Toasted seasme seeds Leaving stems on, cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Mix together the sherry, soy sauce & molasses. Oil a baking pan. Pour sherry mixture into pan, place eggplant slices face down, cover tightly & bake at 180ºC for 45 minutes. Brown cubed tempeh, 0.5c of onions, 1 ts fennel & cayenne in oil for 20 minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning. In a separate pot, saute remaining onion, coriander, remaining fennel till onions are transluscent. Add peppers & mushrooms & saute 15 to 20 minutes. With a slotted spoon, lift tempeh & onions from oil & stir into sauted vegetables. Stir in tomato paste & 2 tb braising liquid from eggplant pan. Salt filling. Turn eggplant halves over, carefully mash pulp & push to sides leaving a hollow centre. Fill each hollow with quarter of filling. Cover pan tightly & bake at 180ºC for 20 minutes til piping hot. Serve on bed of rice, pour over some juiice from baking pan & sprinkle with scallions & sesame seeds. "New Recipes From Moosewood"