Grandma's Recipes 
埼玉県 
* Photo is for reference 埼玉県 🌻 Summer
Japanese Grandma's Eggplant and Ground Meat Rice Bowl (Nasu Miso Don)
This quick, satisfying rice bowl is the kind of effortless weekday meal that Japanese grandmothers excel at. Summer eggplant is stir-fried with ground meat and seasoned simply with ponzu (citrus soy sauce), then piled onto hot rice. It takes just 15 minutes from start to finish.
🧂 Ingredients
servings
* In traditional Japanese grandma cooking, measurements are approximate — think of them as guidelines rather than exact amounts.
| Main Ingredients | |
| Japanese eggplant (nasu) | 1.5個 (approx. 120〜150g) (Cut into bite-sized pieces; can use any eggplant variety) |
| Ground meat (pork or beef) | 150g |
| Cooked rice | 1杯分 (Served in a deep bowl) |
| Seasonings | |
| Salt and pepper | 少々 |
| Ponzu (citrus soy sauce) | 少々 (Can substitute with soy sauce + lemon juice) |
👩🍳 Instructions
- 1
Cut the eggplant into bite-sized pieces.
- 2
Heat oil in a frying pan and stir-fry the eggplant.
- 3
Add the ground meat and stir-fry together with the eggplant until cooked through.
- 4
Season with salt, pepper, and ponzu. Stir to combine.
- 5
Spoon the mixture over the bowl of rice and serve!
📖 Memories & Stories
Grandma would also have cucumber salad and homemade snacks ready while she cooked. Even if my table manners were a little messy, she'd just say, 'It's fine, it's fine' with a gentle smile.
Source: Learned directly from grandmother (Submitted by: たぴおか)
🍽 Cultural Background
Eggplant is a quintessential summer vegetable in Japan, and its affinity with oil is well known - stir-frying gives it a wonderfully silky texture. Finishing with ponzu (citrus soy sauce) keeps it light and refreshing, making this a perfect midday meal on hot summer days.
