Japanese-Style Grilled Eggplant Rice Bowl (Yakinasu Don)

Cut two eggplants in half and then slice them lengthwise.

Place the sliced eggplant in a bowl, season with salt and sugar, mix gently, and let it rest for 15 minutes.

In a separate bowl, combine soy sauce, mirin, sake, and sugar to make the sauce. Mix well.

After 15 minutes, pat the eggplant dry with paper towels to remove excess moisture.

Put flour in a plastic bag, add the eggplant slices, and shake to coat them evenly.

Heat oil in a pan over medium heat. Arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer.

Cook for about 1 minute, then flip. Continue cooking until both sides are golden brown and tender.

Once cooked, remove the eggplant from the pan and set aside. Repeat for any remaining slices.

Turn off the heat. Carefully add water to the hot pan to cool it down.

Pour in the prepared sauce and add minced garlic.

Return the cooked eggplant to the pan. Turn the heat back on and simmer, tossing the eggplant to coat it in the sauce.

Place a serving of cooked rice in a bowl.

Top the rice with cut seaweed.

Arrange the glazed eggplant slices over the seaweed.

Garnish with finely chopped chives, pepper, and sesame seeds to taste.