Aubergine Katsu — a plant-based Other recipe by BOSH!
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Aubergine Katsu

Aubergine Katsu is one of those recipes we genuinely make on repeat. There's something so satisfying about that crispy, golden aubergine paired with a rich, silky katsu sauce that we just can't get enough of. The sauce is properly flavourful, built up slowly with onion, carrot, ginger and garlic before being blitzed smooth, and it coats everything beautifully. It looks and tastes like a proper restaurant dish, but you can have it on the table in 25 minutes. Honestly, if you're ever unsure what to make for dinner, this is the answer.

Cook: 25 min
Serves 4

Before You Start

  • Blender
  • 2 mixing bowls
  • Whisk
  • Small dish
  • Kitchen paper

Ingredients

  • 2 tbsp toasted sesame oil
  • 5cm ginger fresh
  • 1 tbsp olive oil
  • 1 ½ tsp soy sauce
  • 1 tbsp curry powder
  • 350ml vegetable stock
  • 2 tsp garam masala
  • 1 tsp sugar
  • 2 tbsp water
  • 1 onion
  • 1 carrot
  • 2 garlic cloves
  • 250 plant-based milk
  • vegetable oil for shallow frying
  • 4 spring onions
  • 1 tbsp cornflour
  • 175g plain flour
  • ½ tbsp salt
  • 150g panko breadcrumbs
  • 500g cooked basmati rice
  • 2 aubergines - about 300g each
  • sesame seeds

Method

1

For the sauce

  • Peel and dice the onion. Peel and grate the carrot. Peel and finely grate the ginger and garlic
  • Put one pan over a medium heat and warm the sesame oil
  • Add the onions and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring
  • Add the carrot and olive oil and stir for 5–6 minutes
  • Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 2 minutes
  • Add the soy sauce and curry powder and stir for 2 minutes, then transfer to the liquidiser along with the vegetable stock. Blend. Pour back into the pan and return to a medium heat
2

Finishing the sauce

  • Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of half into the pan, catching any pips with your other hand
  • Sprinkle over the garam masala and sugar and stir. Reduce the heat to low. Taste and add more salt and lemon if required
  • Put the cornflour and water into a small dish and mix together with a fork. Pour into the pan and stir to thicken
3

Make the batter

  • Put the flour, salt and milk into a mixing bowl and whisk to a smooth batter
  • Pour the breadcrumbs into a separate bowl
4

For the aubergine

  • Trim the aubergines and cut into 1cm slices. Tip into the batter and toss to cover. Pick out one slice and roll it around in the breadcrumbs, covering it completely. Repeat to coat all the slices
  • Fry the aubergine. Pour the vegetable oil into the second pan until it’s 2cm deep. Put the pan over a medium heat and heat until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil starts to bubble around the edges. Carefully add the aubergine slices and fry for 3–4 minutes on each side, until crispy and deep golden
  • Transfer to the kitchen paper for a minute to soak up any excess oil
5

Time to serve

  • Meanwhile, heat the rice, if necessary, or cook following the packet instructions, then divide between plates
  • Arrange the crispy aubergine on top and drizzle over the katsu sauce
  • Finely slice the spring onions and sprinkle over with the sesame seeds before serving

Tips & Variations

  • Salt the aubergine first: If you've got a spare 15 minutes before you start, slice the aubergine, sprinkle with salt and leave it to sit. It draws out moisture and helps you get a crispier crumb when you cook it. Worth it every time.
  • Get the oil hot enough: We find the aubergine slices crisp up much better when the oil is properly hot before they go in. Give it a minute to heat up and you'll get that satisfying golden crust rather than a soggy coating.
  • Serve it with rice or slaw: We love this one with fluffy jasmine rice to soak up all that sauce, but it's also brilliant with a simple Asian-style slaw on the side if you want something a bit lighter and fresher to cut through the richness.

Why This Works

The trick is building the katsu sauce low and slow before blending it, because that's where all the depth comes from. Cooking the onion, carrot, garlic and ginger in stages lets each one do its thing before the curry powder goes in, and blending it all together gives you that glossy, restaurant-style finish. Don't rush that stage and the rest of the dish basically takes care of itself.