Recipe notes:
– If you don’t like eggplant, you can use mushrooms or tofu instead.
– Buckwheat is made from gluten-free buckwheat flour. However, many brands mix wheat and buckwheat, so be sure to check the package if you don’t like it.
– Marinades do not contain acidic ingredients. I prefer it in the recipe, but you can add rice vinegar or lemon juice if you wish.
1. Cut the eggplant into cubes, add a pinch of salt to a frying pan with oil, and heat over medium heat. It will take about 6-8 minutes to reduce the size and add color to the sides. Stir occasionally to prevent it from sticking to the pan and add more oil if needed.
2. Meanwhile, stir marinade in a small bowl. It’s a little difficult to dissolve the miso, so I crush the miso with the back of a teaspoon and use a whisk to make it smooth.
3. Cook noodles according to package instructions. When finished, rinse with cold water. This is important to remove starch so it doesn’t get sticky or clogged.
4. Cut the broccoli into thin stalks and coarsely chop the green onions.
5. Once the eggplant is cooked, place it in a bowl and add the broccoli, green onion, half the garlic, and half the chili pepper to the pot. Brown the broccoli for 1 to 2 minutes on each side.
6. Return the eggplant and add half of the marinade. Please stir.
7. Add the noodles (I like a high topping to noodle ratio, so start with 2/3 of the noodles and keep the rest as a backup to add more as needed) and a handful of spinach and remove from heat. . Mix and serve in two bowls. Top with some sesame seeds, cilantro, remaining chili pepper, and remaining marinade.
8. Have fun!