Steps

1. Trim the stems off 2 eggplants. Partially peeling the skin helps it absorb flavor while retaining the skin's aroma.
   🕒 01:33
2. Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise, then in half again crosswise to create slightly chunky pieces.
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3. Heat vegetable oil as needed in a frying pan and lightly coat the cut surfaces of the eggplant. Coating the eggplant with a small amount of oil first prevents it from absorbing too much.
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4. Sear the eggplant cut-side down until nicely browned. Then, cover the pan and steam until tender and soft, using the moisture released from the eggplant. Cutting the eggplant into larger pieces and steaming them creates a melt-in-your-mouth texture. If you find the bitterness bothersome, soak in water and pat dry before searing.
   🕒 03:23
5. Cut the 2 salmon fillets into bite-sized pieces.
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6. Sprinkle a pinch of salt on the cut salmon and let it sit for a moment. Then, coat with potato starch. Coating the salmon with potato starch locks in juices and prevents the flesh from becoming tough when cooked.
   🕒 04:11
7. In the frying pan, sear the potato starch-coated salmon, skin-side down, until golden brown. For the sides without skin, lean the pieces against each other as they cook. Sear the skin side until crisp and lean the flesh pieces against the pan to ensure even cooking without toughening the fish.
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8. Once the salmon is nicely browned, remove it from the pan.
   🕒 06:03
9. In a bowl, combine 1/2 cup dashi broth, 1 1/2 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin (sweet rice wine), 1/2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp potato starch, and 1 piece grated ginger. Mix thoroughly to avoid lumps. Mixing the potato starch with the other seasonings in advance saves time and effort.
   🕒 06:09
10. Heat the mixed sauce in the microwave, stirring the settled potato starch midway through, until it thickens. Stirring a few times during microwave heating ensures a uniformly thickened sauce.
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11. Arrange the cooked eggplant and salmon on a plate. Top with 100g of drained grated daikon radish. To account for the moisture from the daikon radish, the sauce has been seasoned slightly on the stronger side.
    🕒 07:25
12. Generously pour the sauce over the arranged eggplant, salmon, and grated daikon radish. Enjoy!
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