Korean-Style Aubergines With Spring Onions & Sesame Rice

In the traditional Korean dish, aubergines are steamed for just 7 minutes before you gently stir in the red pepper and sesame dressing. In this version, I let the oven steam the aubergines, while fresh basmati rice and cabbage cook underneath for a simple and filling all-in-one dish. Gochugaru, or Korean red pepper flakes, are available here – they really make the dish, and once you have a jar, you’ll find yourself scattering the flakes on everything (scrambled eggs are my favourite).

This recipe is extracted from The Roasting Tin Around the World – Global One Dish Dinners by Rukmini Iyer (Square Peg). Photography © David Loftus


Ingredients for Korean-style aubergines with spring onions & sesame rice Serves: 4

  • 200g basmati rice, rinsed
  • 2 cloves of garlic, unpeeled
  • 2 leeks, or 1 small Chinese cabbage, thinly sliced
  • 400ml vegetable stock
  • 1 tablespoon sesame oil
  • 2 aubergines, cut into 1 1⁄2 cm slices
  • 1 teaspoon sea salt flakes
  • 3 fat spring onions, very thinly sliced
  • 1 tablespoon sesame seeds

Ingredients for dressing


Method for Korean-style aubergines with spring onions & sesame rice

  1. Preheat the oven to 210°C fan/230°C/gas 8.
  2. Tip the rice and garlic into a wide lidded casserole dish or a medium roasting tin, then evenly cover with the sliced leeks or Chinese cabbage. Pour over the vegetable stock and sesame oil, then lay the aubergines over the top in one layer. Scatter over the sea salt, cover with the lid or very tightly with foil (this is important or the rice won’t cook properly), then transfer to the oven and bake for 30 minutes.
  3. Meanwhile, mix the dressing ingredients together. As soon as you take the tin out of the oven, remove the lid or foil and dress the aubergines with the red pepper dressing.
  4. Scatter over the spring onions and sesame seeds and serve hot.
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3 comments

  • Loved this one, curious though how to change it to allow for brown rice or other healthier carb? I’d rather avoid eating all white rice all week 😄

    Matthieu on

  • Hi Ariana, so glad you like the recipe! We think butternut squash or Portobello mushrooms would be great ideas for alternatives but get creative with whatever you think would work! Don’t forget to share your results with us. Thanks, Helena.

    Helena @ Sous Chef on

  • This recipe sounds amazing, but could you suggest another vegetable instead of aubergine to use which would still have an authentic flavour?

    Ariana on

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