Tender roasted aubergine gets a sweet-and-spicy glaze of gochujang and miso. Crispy rice, fresh cucumber and a spoonful of chili crisp make this a bowl of bold contrasts.
This modern, Korean-inspired bowl is all about three different textures: aubergine that turns tender in the oven, rice with a crispy fried crust and cool cucumber. Gochujang gives the glaze heat and a deep, fermented flavour. Miso makes it rounder and more savoury; this is a deliberate combination, not a claim that this is a traditional Korean dish. A little rice vinegar keeps everything lively.
Aubergine is most widely available in the Netherlands in summer and early autumn. Choose firm ones with smooth, glossy skin; medium aubergines are handy because the slices cook evenly. In the oven, the flesh can turn creamy while the cut surfaces brown. The glaze contains sweetener and can darken quickly, so brush it on only once the aubergine is mostly cooked. That gives it time to cling and caramelise lightly without burning.
Cold, cooked rice works best here: it is drier and crisps up more easily than warm, moist rice. Rice from the day before is convenient, as long as it was cooled quickly after cooking and stored in the fridge. A wide frying pan gives the rice plenty of contact with the hot surface; cook it in two batches if your pan is small. Stir in the chili crisp at the end so the crispy bits and chili oil stay distinct.
The cucumber provides a fresh, slightly tart contrast. Slice it thinly so the vinegar and salt flavour it quickly, but don’t let it sit for too long or it will lose its crunch. Use regular rice vinegar if you can’t find an unsweetened variety, and adjust the amount of sugar slightly if needed. For less heat, use a little less gochujang; don’t replace it one-for-one with chili sauce, as that won’t give you the same fermented depth.
Serve the bowls straight away, with the cucumber on the side or kept separate so it stays fresh. Put extra chili crisp on the table for anyone who wants more heat and crunch. The aubergine is also good with a bowl of plain rice instead of crispy fried rice, but you’ll lose some of the textural contrast. Refrigerate leftovers promptly in a sealed container and eat within two days; heat the aubergine and rice thoroughly and add the cucumber again afterwards.
Preheat the oven to 220 °C (200 °C fan). Line a baking sheet with parchment paper. Cut the aubergines into slices about 2 cm thick. Arrange them on the baking sheet, brush both sides with 1 tbsp oil and sprinkle with the salt.
Roast the aubergine for 20 minutes, turning the slices halfway through. Meanwhile, stir together the gochujang, miso, maple syrup, 1 tbsp rice vinegar and the water until smooth.
Take the baking sheet out of the oven. Brush both sides of the aubergine with the gochujang mixture. Roast for another 8–10 minutes, until the slices are tender and the edges are lightly caramelised.
Thinly slice the cucumber. Toss with the remaining 1 tbsp rice vinegar and the sugar, and set aside while you fry the rice.
Heat the remaining 1 tbsp oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Spread the cold rice in a thin layer in the pan. Fry for 5–7 minutes without stirring, until the underside is golden brown and crispy. Turn the rice in sections and fry the other side for another 4–5 minutes. Break the rice into bite-sized pieces with a spatula and stir in the chili crisp.
Divide the crispy rice and aubergine between two bowls. Add the cucumber and finish with the spring onions, sliced into rings, and the sesame seeds.
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