Name: Sizzling Pork and Eggplant Hiyayakko
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 16-oz. packages silken tofu; 3 Tbsp. vegetable oil, divided; 2 medium Chinese or Japanese eggplant (about 8 oz. total), cut into 3"-long pieces, quartered lengthwise; 1 lb. ground pork; 2 red Thai chiles, thinly sliced; 4 garlic cloves, finely grated; 1 2" piece ginger, scrubbed, finely grated; 1 Tbsp. sugar; 1 Tbsp. fish sauce; 4 Tbsp. soy sauce, divided; 3 Tbsp. unseasoned rice vinegar, divided; Basil leaves (for serving)

plater of pork and eggplant place over a blue towl

Photograph by Emma Fishman, food styling by Caroline Hwang, prop styling by Elizabeth Jaime.

Hiyayakko is a Japanese warm-weather starter or side dish made of a small square of chilled silken tofu, a sprinkling of toppings, and saucy drizzles (think a heap of bonito flakes and puddle of soy sauce, or fresh tomatoes with ponzu). In this version the simple template goes family-style, with sliced silken tofu carefully shingled on a platter, topped with a savory ground pork and eggplant stir-fry. The combination of cold, custardy tofu and hot, saucy pork is exactly what I want on a summer weeknight, spooned into bowls and showered with tons of farmers market basil. —Kendra Vaculin