Black Forbidden Rice & Eggplant With Almond Cream Sauce - cooking recipe

Ingredients

1 cup forbidden black rice
2 cups water
1/4 teaspoon sea salt
2 small eggplants (about 1 1/4 pounds)
1/4 cup sesame oil (I use 1/8 cup)
3 tablespoons soy sauce (or Bragg's Amino Acids)
2 tablespoons rice vinegar
6 tablespoons mirin (Japanese cooking wine or use sherry)
4 tablespoons water
3 large garlic cloves, minced
1 tablespoon fresh ginger juice (squeezed from about 1 1/2 inches grated fresh ginger)
Almond Cream Sauce
1 cup raw almonds
2 cups water
1/4 cup garbanzo bean miso (or white miso)
1/2 teaspoon black pepper

Preparation

Wash rice while you are bringing water up to a boil. Add rice and sea salt to boiling water; reduce heat to low, cover, and cook until all liquid is absorbed, 45 minutes. Do not stir.
Cut eggplants into 3/4-inch cubes. Heat a large skillet on medium heat and add sesame oil and eggplant; toss to coat. Cook until well sealed and brown, about 20 minutes.
In a bowl, mix soy sauce, rice vinegar, mirin(or sherry), water, garlic, and ginger juice. When eggplant is very well cooked, stir in soy sauce mixture. Cover skillet and cook until liquid is mostly absorbed and eggplant is as smooth(as butter), about 20 minutes.
To make sauce:
Pulse almonds in a blender or food processor until they turn to meal. Add water and blend on high for 2 minutes. (If you would rather have a smooth sauce, press mixture through a strainer, removing about 3/4 cup of fiber.) Add miso and blend for1 minute.
Pour into a small saucepan and heat quickly, then reduce heat to low and cook for about 10 minutes. Add black pepper while heating. This makes about 2 3/4 cups.
Serve rice, eggplant, and almond sauce layered or separately. Enjoy!