Recipe - Japanese Braised Eggplant

2 md Eggplants
One half cup Dry sherry
1/3 cup Tamari soy sauce
1 tablespoon Molasses
One fourth cup Vegetable oil
8 ounce Tempeh, cubed
2 One half cup Chopped onions
2 teaspoon Ground fennel seeds
One fourth teaspoon Cayenne
1 teaspoon Ground coriander
1 md Green bell pepper, minced
4 cup Sliced mushrooms
3 tablespoon Tomato paste
Salt to taste
Brown rice
Chopped scallions
Toasted seasme seeds

Leaving stems on, cut eggplants in half lengthwise. Mix together the
sherry, soy sauce & molasses. Oil a baking pan. Pour sherry mixture into
pan, place eggplant slices face down, cover tightly & bake at 350F for 45
minutes.

Brown cubed tempeh, 1/2c of onions, 1 teaspoon fennel & cayenne in oil for 20
minutes. Stir frequently to avoid burning. In a separate pot, saute
remaining onion, coriander, remaining fennel till onions are transluscent.
Add peppers & mushrooms & saute 15 to 20 minutes.

With a slotted spoon, lift tempeh & onions from oil & stir into sauted
vegetables. Stir in tomato paste & 2 tablespoon braising liquid from eggplant pan.
Salt filling.

Turn eggplant halves over, carefully mash pulp & push to sides leaving a
hollow centre. Fill each hollow with One fourth of filling. Cover pan tightly &
bake at 350F for 20 minutes til piping hot.

Serve on bed of rice, pour over some juiice from baking pan & sprinkle with
scallions & sesame seeds.

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From Gemini's MASSIVE MealMaster collection at www.synapse.com/~gemini