Okay, so I totally lied to you the last time I posted. Not intentionally of course. Just accidental lying.

You know, like when you hear words come out of your mouth that don’t seem to belong to you at all… Like, “I can’t remember why I didn’t call you back”, or “I definitely don’t know where that last piece of cake went.”

So, I forgot that last time when I was cooking, and I made those pants-droppingly awesome Japanese Sweet Potatoes, that because it was walk-away food (aka stuff you throw in the oven and it just cooks itself) that I’d also cooked something else at the same time.

I’d also made the baked eggplant rice.

So I never told you about it. Like the truth-omitting, guilt-ridden asshole that I am.

The clue was in the picture all along! The lie was glaring you straight in the face, you poor naive bastard. You would’ve noticed if you’d been paying attention. But you weren’t were you? Tsk tsk.
It’s alright though, don’t blame yourself. Blame the economy. Blame inflation. Blame the neighbour. Blame your dog for that time you farted and didn’t want to own up to it. Blame your busy schedule, and our shortened attention spans. Just don’t blame me.

So, let’s talk eggplant. wink wink, nudge nudge.

Baked Eggplant Rice.

Page 119, Brave New Meal cookbook.

A little time is spent chopping and then after that it’s simple AF. Not that the chopping isn’t – unless you pull a “me move” and mis-slice an onion, nearly chopping off your finger in the process. All I can say is THANK VODKA for nails!! I’d hate to have all those nerve endings uncovered and just waiting to get hit by a hammer or something equally hideous. Eugh.

So you chop a few bits, and then sauté the crap out of them before throwing the whole thing in the oven to finish up. You want to know what you’re sautéing and how much? Yes? Then do yourself a favour and pick up the Brave New Meal cookbook. Your tastebuds will thank you.

Okay, so I didn’t have some fancy skillet to cook it in. I just used a big sauce pan and then transferred it all to a large oven proof dish to cook in.
Make do with what you’ve got. You do you.

It came out good. Fluffy, and saucy all at once. How the crack pot is that even possible? Who knows? Only Bad Manners know the secrets. It was yummy.
I think it’s the mint.

It was a great side to the Japanese sweet potatoes with the herby cilantro stuffs.
And it was also great as left-overs the next day.

I was surprised to find that even my kid would eat some of it – and he’s not always good with new stuff. (Or stuff that’s touching other stuff on the plate. Or stuff that’s not popcorn or pizza. Parents can you relate?) But he was a surprising little dude that day and actually ate some. Maybe it’s because he didn’t know that there was eggplant in it. Or maybe he’s been lying all along and he’s always liked eggplant. Maybe the lies are rubbing off on him.
They’re contagious like laughter in a library.
Or panic in a fart filled elevator.

Anyway speaking of near-panic, I am now 13 recipes down and 111 to go. I WILL cook all 124 recipes within a year, even though the clock is ticking. It doesn’t help that I’ve been neglecting this challenge, because I’m a chump and have taken on two challenges at once. I’m reading 100 books in a year and I’m 37 books in, and running 10 books behind schedule. I’m knee deep in reading material, freaking out when I hear the words “chapter” or “page count”, and falling asleep in weird places covered in book marks. What in the holy fuck was I thinking? As if life isn’t insanely busy enough already.