Name: Gochujang Roasted Aubergine with Peanut Butter Sauce & Coconut Rice (GF, DF)
Prep time: 5 min
Cook time: 30 min
Total time: 35 min
Yield: 2
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 2 aubergines; 2 tbsp gochujang (ensure gluten free if needed); 2 tbsp runny honey; 1 tbsp rice vinegar; 1 clove garlic; A little oil (olive/sunflower/rapeseed - any are fine); 4 spring onions; 150g basmati rice; 50g dessicated coconut; 90g smooth peanut butter; 1 tbsp lime juice; 1 tsp tamari; 1 tsp sesame oil; Fresh mint leaves; Chilli flakes or fresh chilli (optional); Peanuts salted roughly chopped (optional); 200g Tenderstem broccoli

Gochujang Roasted Aubergine with Peanut Butter Sauce & Coconut Rice (GF, DF)

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As per many of my recipes, this delicious gochujang roasted aubergine was born from a fridge raid gone very, very right. Beautifully spicy aubergine, with a creamy peanut butter sauce for drizzling and easy coconut rice. Finished with some fresh mint (optional but extra good), this is an incredible bowlful that I have been making on repeat.

There are a couple of elements to this dish, but it all comes together in under 30 minutes. Making it a gorgeous midweek meal or a handy dish to make as meal prep for work lunches. Yet also impressive enough to serve to guests.

What is Gochujang?

You may not be familiar with gochujang, which has been taking the Western culinary world by storm these past couple of years. It is a Korean red chilli fermented bean paste, hot and spicy, if you like hot sauces like sriracha you’ll love gochujang.

It has a beautiful rounded flavour to the spice, rather than being overtly hot. Use a little in a recipe like this and you end up with the most delicious plate of food.

Many brands of gochujang use wheat as a thickening agent, so be sure to check the label when shopping for it. I use the Sempio gluten free variety, which I buy in my local Asian supermarket but is also available online (links below).

There are two Sempio gluten free gochujangs – classic gochujang and gochujang with lemon. I’ve tried both for this recipe and both work nicely so use whichever you can find.

I Don’t Have All the Ingredients – Are There Any Substitutions I Can Make?

Feel free to be flexible with this recipe, I’m a big believer in adapting dinner recipes, to suit the ingredients you have. Here are some swaps you could try – the end dish will taste slightly different but will still be delicious:

Gochujang – if you are struggling to source this or can’t find a gluten free one, try sriracha instead (check your brand is gluten free, as not all are)
Runny honey – easily replaced with agave or maple syrup
Dessicated coconut – you can skip this and just have plain rice if you prefer, it still tastes really nice, or perhaps scattered 2 tbsp toasted sesame seeds through your rice
Tamari – if you are not gluten free you can use soy sauce
Rice vinegar – white wine vinegar is slightly stronger in flavour but will work nicely

Gochujang Roasted Aubergine with Peanut Butter Sauce & Coconut Rice Recipe

Any questions while you are making this rice bowl, please do message me on social media (@myglutenfreeguide) or email me at laura@mygfguide.com. I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.

If you enjoy the recipe, please do leave a review on the recipe card below. It makes a world of difference to me :). And you can also share photos of your home creations in my Cooking Club on Facebook.

Thanks so much! Laura xxx

Serves 2

Gochujang Roasted Aubergine with Peanut Butter Sauce & Coconut Rice (GF, DF)

Prep Time: 5 minutes

Cook Time: 30 minutes

Total Time: 35 minutes

An incredibly tasty bowlful of spicy roasted aubergine and coconut rice, with a smooth peanut butter sauce. Naturally gluten free, dairy free and vegetarian.

Ingredients

For the aubergines

2 aubergines
2 tbsp gochujang (ensure gluten free if needed)
2 tbsp runny honey
1 tbsp rice vinegar
1 clove garlic
A little oil (olive/sunflower/rapeseed - any are fine)
4 spring onions

For the coconut rice

150g basmati rice
50g dessicated coconut

For the peanut butter sauce

90g smooth peanut butter
1 tbsp lime juice
1 tsp tamari
1 tsp sesame oil

To finish

Fresh mint leaves
Chilli flakes or fresh chilli (optional)
Peanuts salted roughly chopped (optional)

200g Tenderstem broccoli

Instructions

First start by soaking the dessciated coconut - simply add to a medium-sized bowl and pour over 200ml boiling water, stir then leave to sit while you make the other elements.

Cut the stalks off the aubergines then slice each aubergine into 6-8 strips, lengthways. Brush them with oil and scatter with salt. Cook in a griddle pan (or non-stick frying pan) over a medium heat, for about 8 minutes, turning occasionally. You want to slightly char both sides and slightly soften the aubergines.

Preheat the oven to 200C (fan). Make the gochujang marinade for the aubergines by mixing together gochujang, honey, rice vinegar and a minced clove of garlic. You want a nice smooth, runny paste. If it's still really thick (and not spreadable as a marinade) add a few drops of water.

Then the griddled aubergines go onto a foil-lined oven tray. Brush them all over with the gochujang marinade. Then pop them into the oven at 200C (fan) to roast for 10 minutes, then turn them and roast for a further 10 minutes on the other side, adding the chopped spring onions for the final 5 minutes.

While they are roasting make the rice per the packet instructions (or use my handy tip for basmati - I always do 1 part rice to 2 parts water, then bring to the boil before turning down to a low heat - once the water is absorbed the rice should be cooked and perfectly fluffy). Once cooked, drain the water from the dessicated coconut and stir through the rice. Then set aside.

For the peanut butter sauce, mix together the peanut butter, lime juice, tamari and sesame oil until smooth and thick. Then incorporate 3 tbsp hot water, stirring them through one tbsp at a time. If it looks split at all, don't worry, depending on the oil content of the peanut butter this can happen but it still tastes gorgeous. Set aside.

During the last 5 minutes of the aubergine's roasting time, you can also panfry the tenderstem broccoli in the griddle pan. cook for about 5 minutes over a medium-high heat, so it gets lightly charred and is cooked through, but still has nice bite to it.

Now time to assemble the bowls. Spoon the coconut rice into two bowls, then drizzle the peanut butter sauce over the rice. Top with the gochujang aubergine and the tenderstem.

Finish the bowls with some torn fresh mint leaves, crushed peanuts and chilli (fresh or flakes) if you have them. I really love the addition of mint, so if you are going for just one of those, try the mint. Enjoy!