I love bread but I don’t eat it often, so I never have bread lying around. I usually buy a nice crunchy loaf of sourdough or a good baguette from Dave’s Fresh Pasta, but sometimes I’m in the mood for just good sandwich bread. That’s where this recipe comes in handy.

It’s super easy, requires no kneading, and I have fresh baked bread in about 2 hours!

I highly recommend using a kitchen scale to weigh out the flour, but if you don’t have one the bread will be just as delicious. Toy around with the ratio of all-purpose to bread flour to make a total of 4 cups of flour. I use 2/3 AP flour, 1/3 bread flour, but have fun experimenting! This recipe is so easy, you can make multiple loaves and try them side-by-side (which is what I did).

Start by proofing the yeast in warm water – you know it’s ready when it becomes foamy. If it doesn’t foam up, throw it out and start with another batch of yeast.

While the yeast proofs (about 5-10 mi), stir together the flours and salt.

Add the yeast mixture to the flour and stir until the flour is absorbed. The dough will be very wet.

Cover with a kitchen towel and set in a warm place to rise until double, about 1 hour.

(obligatory baby in a bumbo picture)

Butter your baking pans. You can use 2 pyrex glass bowls or 2 bread pans or any other shaped pan you like!

Punch down the dough using 2 forks and fold the dough over itself. Separate the (very wet) dough with the forks and plop each half into a baking dish. Cover with dish towel and let rise for 20-30 min.

Bake until golden, remove from oven and take bread out onto cooling racks to cool at least 10 min before slicing. Then enjoy!

No Knead Bread (click here to print without pictures)

Ingredients

161 gm (1.5 cups) Bread flour
323 gm (2.5 cups) all-purpose flour
2 teaspoons kosher salt
2 cups warm water
2 tsp sugar
2 tsp active-dry yeast
1-2 tbsp butter, room temperature

 1. In a small mixing bowl, stir the sugar and yeast into the water. Let it stand for about 10 to 15 minutes or until the mixture is foamy and/or bubbling just a bit

2. Meanwhile, in a large bowl, whisk together the flour and salt. When the yeast mixture is foamy, stir it up, and add it to the flour bowl. Mix until the flour is absorbed.

3. Cover bowl with a tea towel or plastic wrap and set aside in a warm spot to rise until double, at least 1 hour.

4. Preheat the oven to 425ºF. Grease two oven-safe bowls or bread pans with the butter. Using two small forks, punch down your dough, scraping it from the sides of the bowl. As you scrape it down try to turn the dough up onto itself. You want to loosen the dough entirely from the sides of the bowl, and you want to make sure you’ve punched it down.

5. Then divide the dough into two equal portions, pull the dough apart with the two forks. Scoop up each half and place into your prepared bowls/pans. This part can be a little messy — the dough is very wet and will slip all over the place. Using small forks or forks with short tines makes this easier. It’s best to scoop it up fast and plop it in the bowl in one fell swoop.

6. Let the dough rise for about 20 to 30 minutes on the countertop near a warm spot or until it has risen just to the top of the bowls.

7. Bake for 15 minutes. Reduce the heat to 375º and make for 15 to 17 minutes longer. Remove from the oven and turn the loaves onto cooling racks. Let cool for 10 minutes before cutting.

adapted from Alexandra Kitchen

It’s that time of year again – squash and soup season!

I love soup. I grew up with soup at every dinner and have tried to do the same in my house now.

When I was in undergrad at NYU, there was a small lunch counter that served a pumpkin soup with curry that was delicious. I looked around for a recipe but couldn’t find one, so I made up my own. I have served this soup at all the Thanksgiving dinners I’ve hosted and make it multiples times a year because it is just that good!

Start with a butternut squash, peeled, seeded and cubed.

Saute onion and garlic

Add spices

Saute until fragrant

Add the cubed squash and saute for a few minutes

Then add the stock. Bring to a boil and cook for 25-30 min until squash is soft. Puree with an immersion blender off the heat. Stir in the coconut milk.

Finally ladle into bowls and finish with a few drops of heavy cream – swirl for effect. Enjoy!

Curried Butternut Squash Soup (click here for recipe without pictures)

6 tbsp unsalted butter
3 cups yellow onions, chopped (about 1.5 large)
4 tsp garlic, minced
4 tsp curry powder
1 tsp kosher salt
1/2 tsp ground turmeric
1/2 tsp ground cumin
1/4 tsp cayenne
4 lbs butternut squash, cut into 1-in pieces (about 2)
6 cups vegetable (or chicken) stock
1 1/2 cups coconut milk (I use low-fat), shake can before using
1/2 cup heavy cream, for drizzling

1. In a large, heavy pot, melt butter over medium-high heat. Add onions and cook, stirring frequently, until soft, about 4 min. Add garlic, curry powder, salt, turmeric, cumin and cayenne, saute until fragrant, about 45 sec.

2. Stir in squash, cook for 3 min. Add stock and bring to a boil

3. Reduce heat and simmer (partially covered), stirring occasionally, until squash is soft, about 25-30 min. Remove from heat.

4. With an immersion blender, puree until smooth. Return to medium heat and add coconut milk, adjust seasoning to taste.

5. Ladle into bowls and serve with 1 tsp heavy cream drizzled on top.

I am obsessed with eggs. Add a fried egg to anything and it brings the dish to a higher level.

So I was excited when I stumbled across this recipe in Cooking Light.

I’ve made a few adjustments and it is my go-to dinner anytime!

The sauce is very easy, just a few ingredients (though you may need to hit up an Asian market for them) – soy sauce, Korean hot pepper paste, fish sauce, sugar and sesame oil

Stir fry the beef, then add the sauce

While meat cooks, prepare your veggies.

Remove the meat, place in a bowl and cover to keep warm. Stir fry the veggies and mushrooms

While the veggies cook, fry the eggs in a nonstick skillet until desired doneness (I like a runny yolk)

Place steamed rice in 2 bowls, top with beef, veggies and egg – Enjoy!

Asian Beef with Vegetables and Fried Eggs (click here to print recipe without pictures)

- 3 tbsp sugar
– 3 tbsp Thai chili paste or Korean Hot Pepper paste
– 3 tbsp fish sauce
– 3 tbsp soy sauce
– 1 tsp sesame oil
– 2 tbsp peanut oil, divided
– 3 garlic cloves, minced
– 1 lb lean ground beef
– 3/4 tsp crushed dried Thai chile or crushed red pepper
– Mushrooms – shiitake, oyster, combination
– 3 small baby bok choy, cut lengthwise into quarters
– 4 eggs
– steamed rice for serving
– sesame seeds, for serving, optional

1. Combine first 5 ingredients in a small bowl and set aside

2. Heat a large pan over high heat. Add 2 tsp oil and swirl to coat. Add garlic, stir-fry for 10 seconds, then add beef to pan. Cook 2 min or until done. Stir in soy mixture, cook 1 min or until sauce slightly thickens. Place into bowl, cover to keep warm.

3. Add 1.5 tsp oil and crushed red pepper to pan. Add mushrooms, cook for 5 min, then add bok choy. Stir-fry for 2 min or until crisp-tender. Take off heat.

4. In a nonstick skillet, heat remaining 2.5 tsp oil over medium heat. Crack eggs, 1 at a time, into pan and cook until whites are set, but yolks still runny, or to your liking.

5. To serve: Divide rice into 4 bowls, top with beef, mushrooms and bok choy. Top each with 1 egg and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Enjoy!

Summer is berry season and we always have berries in our fridge. Unfortunately, many times, the berries become just past prime and no one wants to eat them anymore.

Thankfully, extra ripe berries are perfect for jams and desserts. I stumbled across a few berry pie recipes that I have morphed into a combination pie/crumble – you get the best of both worlds: delicious, flaky crust with a buttery crumble, sandwiching a not-too-sweet berry center

(you can also use frozen berries – mixed bag or single berry, it’s your choice)

I prepare my own pie crust, but you can use store-made pie crust to make things easier. Just roll it out and put in the fridge while you prepare the berry mixture. Use the tines of a fork to make a nice decoration along the edge.

This recipe is super simple and only calls for a few ingredients – berries, sugar, balsamic vinegar, corn starch. Mix them together and let them sit for at least 30 min, then fill the prepared pie crust.

While the berry mixture sits, prepare the crumble topping with flour, sugar, butter in a food processor and keep in the fridge until ready to use.

Bake the pie and let it sit for at least 20 min before serving. I always serve it with vanilla ice cream

I usually have left over crust, berries and crumble, so I make a mini-pie for myself

Mixed Berry Pie Crumble (click here to print recipe without pictures)

- Pie crust (homemade or prepackaged, rolled into 9-in pie plate, chilled for at least 30 min)
– 3 cups mixed berries, fresh, frozen or both
– 1/2 tbsp corn starch
– 2 tbsp good balsamic vinegar
– 1/4 cup water
– 10 tbsp sugar, divided
– 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour
– 1/2 cup cold, unsalted butter, cut into small pieces
– pinch of salt

1. Preheat oven to 350 degrees. In a bowl, combine berries, corn starch, vinegar, water and 4 tbsp sugar. Let stand for 30 min.

2. In a food processor, pulse together flour, butter, salt and remaining 6 tbsp sugar until mixture resembles fine bread crumbs. Do not over-mix or it will become a pastry. Place in fridge until ready to use.

3. Using a slotted spoon, transfer berry mixture to prepared pie dish, sprinkle with crumble and bake until top is golden, about 60 min.

4. Serve warm or room temperature with vanilla ice cream.

(adapted from Williams-Sonoma Cakes, Cookes, Pies & Tarts)

I am always looking for easy and tasty chicken recipes. 

This is a great recipe if you like Mexican food. It’s not too spicy, so even if you don’t like spicy food, you will still enjoy this dish.

You can use bone-in chicken or boneless chicken breasts/thighs. I ask the butcher to cut a whole chicken into 8 pieces for me. The backbone is usually in the bag, which you can save for chicken soup or just toss.

I find that chicken on the bone, while taking way longer to cook, is much more flavorful than boneless chicken breasts.

The chicken needs to marinate overnight, so you need to prep this the day before. But it is a very easy recipe and it’s delicious!

I always have a can of chipotle peppers on hand. Chipotle peppers in adobe sauce are smoked jalapenos in a tangy vinegar sauce. They are perfect mixed in with mayo and cilantro to make a spicy dipping sauce (see recipe here).

 The recipe can be done on the grill or in your oven and finished with a fast broil to crisp the skin.

I serve this along charred bell peppers and yellow rice.

Chipotle Grilled Chicken (click here to print recipe without pictures)

- 1/4 cup canned chipotle chiles in adobo (more if you like it spicier)
- 3 tablespoons olive oil
- 2 garlic cloves, pressed
- 1/2 onion, coarsely chopped
- 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro
- 1 tablespoon paprika
- 1 teaspoon ground cumin
- 1 teaspoon chili powder
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 3 1/2-pound chicken, cut into 8 pieces
- Nonstick vegetable oil spray

1. Combine chipotles in adobo, olive oil, and garlic cloves in processor; puree until paste forms. Add chopped onion, chopped cilantro, paprika, ground cumin, chili powder, and salt; process until onion is finely chopped. Transfer 1/4 cup chipotle mixture to small bowl; cover and refrigerate.

2. Arrange chicken pieces in single layer in a glass baking dish. Spread remaining chipotle mixture all over chicken pieces. Cover and refrigerate overnight.

 3a. Grilled: Spray grill rack with nonstick spray. Prepare barbecue (medium heat). Grill chicken until cooked through, moving to cooler part of grill as needed to prevent burning and brushing with reserved marinade during last 5 minutes of grilling, about 30 minutes. Transfer chicken to platter and serve.

3b. Baked/Broiled: Preheat oven to 400 degrees. Line baking sheet with foil and place broiling rack on top. Spray rack with nonstick spray.  Place chicken in single layer on rack and bake 45-50 min until juices run clear from chicken, flipping once halfway through cooking. 
Change oven to broil, flip chicken pieces so they are skin-side up and broil until skin is crisp, 3-5 min. Transfer to platter and enjoy!

I’ve been MIA for a few weeks while we packed up the small Cambridge apartment and moved into a house (!) in Somerville. We also had to paint over glitter ceilings and pink walls before moving in, so it was quite a bit of work, but it was so worth it! 

Since moving in, we’ve hosted each of our families and had a house-warming party. I didn’t feel the urge to cook huge meals for everyone, but I did want to make something tasty for our guests.

Thus, I decided to make Pretzel Bites!!

I love pretzels. I love the salt, the chewiness of the dough, and (maybe most importantly) the fact that it pairs perfectly with mustard.

I came across this recipe last year and it has been my go-to since then.

If I don’t have time for the butter to soften on its own, I just put it in a zip-lock bag and smush it flat with my palm – perfectly softened butter in 15 seconds!

Pretzel Bites (click here to print recipe without pictures)

Pretzel Dough:
– 1 cup warm water (100° to 110°F)
– 1 (1/4-ounce) envelope active dry yeast
– 3 cups bread flour plus more for work surface
– 1 tablespoon coarse kosher salt
– 2 tablespoons packed light brown sugar
– 1/2 stick (4 tablespoons) unsalted butter, well softened
– Vegetable oil for bowl

Baking Pretzels:
– 8 cups water
– 2/3 cup baking soda
– Coarse kosher salt

Make Pretzel Dough:

1. Stir together warm water and yeast in a large bowl and let stand until a creamy beige foam develops on the surface, about 10 minutes. (If mixture doesn’t foam, start over with new yeast.)

2. Meanwhile, in the bowl of a stand mixer, stir together flour, salt, and light brown sugar.

3. Add yeast mixture and butter to flour mixture, and mix on low speed until it forms a dough. Change to the dough hook and knead on medium-low speed until the dough is smooth and elastic, 8 to 10 minutes, dusting with more flour as needed if dough sticks to sides of bowl.

4. Transfer dough to a lightly oiled large bowl and turn over to coat with oil. Cover with a kitchen towel (not terry cloth) and let rise in a draft-free place at room temperature until doubled, 2 to 3 hours.

Alternatively, after kneading, let dough rest at room temperature for 15 minutes, then transfer to oiled bowl as above, and let rise in the refrigerator overnight (12 hours or up to 2 days).

5. Punch down dough and divide into quarters. Form each quarter into 4 balls. Roll each ball into a 12-inch-long rope. Cut each rope into six (2-inch) pieces, and transfer to wax paper–lined rimmed baking sheets (or leave on your clean counter.

Bake Pretzels:
1. Heat oven to 450°F with racks in upper and lower third. Line 2 large baking sheets with parchment paper, set aside.

2. In a 4- to 5-quart saucepan, bring water and baking soda to a boil (mixture will be foamy at first, but foam will dissipate). Add 12 pretzel bites and cook 30 seconds (they will rise to the surface almost immediately), then transfer with a slotted spoon to baking sheets.

3. Quickly sprinkle pretzel bites lightly on both sides with salt before they dry (so salt sticks). Repeat with remaining pretzel bites, returning water to a boil between batches.

4.  Bake pretzel bites in oven, switching sheets between racks and rotating sheets halfway through baking, until deep chestnut brown, 8 to 10 minutes (watch closely toward end of baking; bites brown quickly in last few minutes). Immediately transfer pretzel bites to wire racks to cool.

Serve with your favorite mustard(s) and enjoy!

(adapted from Gourmet Live)

It’s hot pot season!!

I was first introduced to hot pot by my brother-in-law. He took me to a place in Chinatown, NYC (that no longer exists). The menu looked a bit overwhelming, with fish balls and 10 different ‘Chinese greens’, but he ordered and I was along for the ride!

The waiter placed a travel-size burner down and turned on the flame. On top, he placed a cauldron filled with broth, red chilies and spices. Soon the liquid was boiling and the raw ingredients arrived.

We cooked everything in the pot and I was hooked at first bite!!

When I moved to Boston, I noticed there were a ton of hot pot places in Chinatown, but they were expensive! So I decided to try it out at home – it was FANTASTIC!!!

My parents had given me an electric fondue pot, which works perfectly keeping the broth boiling, but you can buy a portable burner at most Asian markets.

I go to C-mart in Chinatown and buy all the ingredients:

These are the hot pot mixes I recommend

The spicy mix is pretty hot, so be careful!

Greens (any ones that look good to you) – I always get Yu Choy, Baby Bok Choy and something new. This time around I picked up a bag of Sweet Potato Leaves – YUM!!!

Mushrooms – a ton of them and different varieties

Sprouts

Snow Peas

Noodles – fresh ones, I recommend “Wife’s Noodles”

Thinly sliced meat – beef, lamb, pork

Seafood – shrimp, calamari

Peanut sauce – I like this one from Thai Kitchen, but you can make your own or get any brand you like

Put the mix in your pot, add water (and a boullion if you want), bring it to a boil (I also add a few pieces of ginger and garlic cloves, but that’s optional)

Add the ingredients in the order they cook: noodles, mushrooms, veggie stalks, meats, veggie leaves, sprouts and enjoy!

I serve it with white steamed rice (to counteract the spicy broth) and I add hot water whenever the broth level is down.

This is always a crowd-pleaser and looks very impressive, your guests won’t even realize that they are cooking dinner for themselves!

I really like Mexican/Tex-Mex food, but I haven’t found a really good place for it in the Boston area. Thus, I make it at home.

I make this recipe (using either flank steak or chicken breast) often. It’s super easy and delicious. I make pickled red onion to go along with this dish. I make a big batch and leave it in my fridge to serve with fajitas or put on a salad.

I don’t measure the spices exactly but I put approximately the amounts I use in the recipe. You can adjust the amounts to accommodate your taste.

I’m also a BIG fan of Goya Yellow Rice and I serve this dish with the rice on the side. I’ve tried the low-salt version and I don’t recommend it.

Steak Fajitas (click here to print recipe without pictures)

- Flank steak (for chicken breasts, see below)
– 2 tbsp chili powder
– 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
– 2 tsp ground cumin
– 2 tsp ground coriander
– 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
– 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
– 2 tsp paprika
-1 tsp kosher salt
– 2 tsp vegetable oil
– to serve (all optional): fajitas (warmed in oven for 20 sec), sour cream (mixed with a little lime juice & salt), fresh cilantro, chopped red onion, pickled red onion (see below for quick recipe), diced avocado, diced tomato, shredded red cabbage

1. In a small bowl, mix all spices and salt. Set aside. Place steak in a large shallow dish, rub with spice mixture and drizzle with oil, evenly on both sides. Cover and let sit at room temp for 30 min or longer in the refrigerator.

2. Preheat broiler. Line a baking sheet with foil and place in oven to heat up for 10-15 min. Place steak on preheated pan and broil 4 min/side for medium-rare, or longer to desired doneness.

3. Remove from oven, cover with foil and let sit for 5 min to let the meat rest. Slice thinly against the grain and serve with accompaniments. Enjoy!

Chicken Fajitas (click here to print recipe without pictures)

- 2-3 chicken breasts, sliced to 1/2-in long strips
– 2 tbsp chili powder
– 1/4 tsp cayenne pepper
– 2 tsp ground cumin
– 2 tsp ground coriander
– 1/2 tsp granulated garlic
– 1/2 tsp smoked paprika (optional)
– 2 tsp paprika
-1 tsp kosher salt
– 2 tsp vegetable oil
– 2 green peppers, sliced into 1/2-in slices
– 1 yellow onion, sliced into 1/2-in slices
– 2 tsp vegetable oil
– to serve (all optional): fajitas (warmed in oven for 20 sec), sour cream (mixed with a little lime juice & salt), fresh cilantro, chopped red onion, pickled red onion (see below for quick recipe), diced avocado, diced tomato, shredded red cabbage

1. In a large ziplock bag, combine spices and salt. Close bag and shake to mix thoroughly. Add sliced chicken and oil. Close bag and shake to combine. Let sit 30 min or longer in the refrigerator to marinate.

2. In a large pan, heat oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add peppers and onions. Saute until charred, but still slightly crunchy, about 5 min. Remove from pan and set aside.

3. Return pan to medium-high heat and add chicken. Saute until cooked through, flipping to cook all sides, about 7 min. Move chicken to 1/2 of pan and return onion and pepper mixture to pan to reheat.

4. Serve with rice and desired accompaniments. Enjoy!

Pickled Red Onion (click here to print recipe without pictures)

- 2 tbsp red wine vinegar
– 1/2 tsp kosher salt
– 1/2 small red onion, thinly sliced

Bring vinegar, salt, and 1 cup water to a boil in a small saucepan. Remove from heat. Stir in onion. Pour whole mixture into jar and refrigerate. Can be served once cooled.

Can stay in fridge for up to 1 month.

I like to travel the world, both literally and figuratively with my cooking. One of the best cookbooks I have is ‘5 Spices, 50 Dishes‘ – an easy introduction to Indian cooking.

I have tried many recipes from it, my favorite is the Lamb Chops with Spicy Rub.

It’s super simple and delicious. I use whole seeds and grind them up in a mortar and pestle or coffee/spice grinder, but you can use store-bought ground spices.

I also use a microplane which makes grating ginger and garlic very easy. I use my microplane for a variety of things, including freshly grated Parmesan cheese or nutmeg.

I had a rack of lamb in my freezer and just cut it into individual chops for this recipe

Lamb Chops with Spicy Rub (click here to print recipe without pictures)

- 1 tsp finely grated fresh ginger (about 2-in piece)
– 1 tsp finely grated or pressed garlic (about 2 large cloves)
– 3/4 tsp salt
– 1/2 tsp cayenne
– 1/2 tsp ground cumin
– 1/2 tsp ground coriander
– 1/4 tsp ground turmeric
– 8 lamb chops
– 3 tbsp canola oil

1. In a large bowl, mix together ginger, garlic, salt, cayenne, cumin, coriander and turmeric to form a thick, slightly dry paste. 

2. Rub chops well with this mixture and set aside to marinate for 2-8 hours in the fridge.

3. Heat a large cast-iron skillet over medium-high heat and add the oil. Sear the lamb chops to the desired doneness, 4-5 min/side for rare.

4. Let rest briefly before serving. Serve with Indian fragrant rice (see below for recipe)

Indian Fragrant Rice (click here to print recipe without pictures)

- 1 tbsp cumin seeds
– 2 tbsp vegetable oil
– 1 1/2 cups water
– 1 cup basmati or jasmine rice, rinsed
– 2-3 bay leaves

1. In a small saucepan, heat olive oil until hot. Add cumin seeds and toast for 30 seconds until fragrant. CAREFULLY add rice, water and bay leaves. The water will splatter when added, so be careful.

2. Bring to a boil. Wrap lid with kitchen towel. Cover, lower heat to low and cook for 18 min. Fluff with fork prior to serving.

I make a ton of Asian food. The flavor profiles always hits everything I’m looking for: sweet, salty, spicy and umami.

I came across this recipe when looking for sides for an Asian entree. This can be done with any veggie – eggplant, squash, zucchini, mushrooms – basically whatever you have in your veggie drawer

A few weeks ago I received a bunch of Asian eggplants in my CSA (Boston Organics) and decided to make this dish.

I was always interested in getting a CSA share but I never wanted to shell out $600 up front and end up with 10 lbs of beets or turnips. And then I found Boston Organics.

They deliver to your house (and are insured, so you can give them a key and they can drop the box inside). The deliveries are weekly or every other week and you can cancel anytime!! They also have a ‘no’ list, so they know what I don’t want in my share (for me it’s dill). Each box starts at $29 and we get 1/2 veggie-1/2 fruit every other week. It’s perfect for the 2 of us and I rarely go produce shopping!

Every once in a while, Boston Organics will throw in an ingredient I haven’t worked with and it gives me a chance to experiment. In the box below, I received garlic scapes – which were delicious grilled with a little bit of of olive oil, salt and pepper.

Ok, enough gushing about Boston Organics, here’s the eggplant recipe

Spicy Glazed Eggplant (click here to print recipe without pictures)

– 1 1/4 pounds Asian eggplants (about 4), trimmed, halved lengthwise, and cut diagonally into 1 1/2-inch pieces
– 2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
– 2 tablespoons soy sauce
– 1/2 teaspoon finely grated peeled ginger (use a Microplane)
– 1/8 teaspoon Japanese seven-spice powder (sometimes labeled “shichimi togarashi”) or Chinese 5-spice powder
– 3 tablespoons vegetable oil
– 1 tablespoon finely chopped chives

1. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt and drain in a colander, stirring occasionally, for 45 minutes. Rinse eggplant under cold water and dry well, pressing out any excess moisture.

2. In a small bowl, stir together mirin, soy sauce, ginger, and seven-spice powder. Set aside

3. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy skillet over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté eggplant until browned, about 8 minutes. Gently stir in mirin mixture and cook, turning frequently, until sauce becomes a glaze and eggplant is browned and tender, about 1 minute.

4. Serve hot or at room temperature, sprinkled with chives.

(adapted from Gourmet)