There are times when I look at my garden plaintively and pleadingly.

I’ve watered you, I’ve fed you. I’m given you sun and shade. So, why aren’t you cooperating and growing like you should?

Thankfully, though, there are other times when I examine something gleefully and come away filled with surprise.

That’s when I peer at my Japanese eggplant plant, and find it offering up not one, not two, but handfuls of slender, glossy, deep purple fruit (yes, fruit because technically that’s what they are).

“Eggplant Donburi” proved the perfect way to enjoy my latest harvest.

This rice-bowl dish couldn’t be easier or more homey tasting.

It’s from “Rice” (Smith Street Books), of which I received a review copy. Eight different writers contributed more than 80 recipes from China, Japan, Korea, Vietnam, Thailand, India and elsewhere in Asia. The recipes highlight the beloved staple grain, and span both sweet and savory, and incorporate various cooking techniques.

Feast on everything from “Hoedeopbap,” a Korean rice bowl crowned with vegetables and raw salmon to “Pulihora,” Indian tamarind rice; to “Tapsilog,” Filipino garlic fried rice with beef and a fried egg; and “Nang Let” Thai rice cakes drizzled with sugar syrup.

For this donburi, slice the eggplants lengthwise thinly. Sprinkle with salt and allow to sit for 20 minutes to leech out some of its water.

Lightly flour the eggplant slices, then cook in a frying pan, flipping until both sides are golden. Drizzle in a mixture of miso paste, mirin, sugar, soy sauce, and grated fresh ginger. (The recipe didn’t specify what type of miso, so whatever you prefer is fine. I used red.) Bring the sauce to a simmer, and cook until it reduces and thickens.

Serve the eggplant over rice, sprinkled with sesame seeds and green onions.

The eggplant sports a vaguely agedashi tofu-like exterior, with its crisp flour coating taking on an almost chewy softness in the sauce. The interior is all that you love about eggplant cooked correctly — custardy soft.

You taste the savoriness of the miso with its fermented saltiness balanced by the sugar and mirin. It’s a taste that’s ideal with hot, starchy grains of rice.

This dish is actually vegan (if you make sure to use soy sauce that is definitely vegan). This eggplant donburi is satisfying on its own. Or enjoy alongside seared tofu or stir-fried greens. If you’re a carnivore, the eggplant would be delicious with chicken, pork, or fish.

With long slices fanned out fancifully, it’s a dish that definitely shows off your homegrown bounty spectacularly.

Eggplant Donburi

(Serves 2)

1 (200 grams) Japanese or Lebanese eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1/8-inch slices

1/2 cup (75 grams) all-purpose flour

1 tablespoons neutral oil, plus extra if needed

Steamed short-grain rice, to serve

1 spring onion (scallion), finely sliced

Toasted white sesame seeds, to garnish

For seasoning:

1 tablespoon miso paste

1 tablespoons hon mirin or cooking sake

1 tablespoon granulated sugar

1 tablespoon soy sauce

1 tablespoon grated ginger

Place the eggplant slices on a large tray and sprinkle salt on both sides, then leave to dehydrate for 20 minutes.

Meanwhile, mix all the seasoning ingredients with 1/2 cup water in a bowl until the sugar dissolves. Set aside.

Use paper towel to dry the eggplant and wipe off any excess moisture. Spread the flour out in a small tray, and one at a time, dust the eggplant slices in flour until evenly coated.

Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Add the eggplant slices in a single layer and fry for 3 to 4 minutes, until golden. Flip the slices over and fry the other side for 3 minutes; add more oil if the eggplant sticks to the bottom of the pan.

Drizzle over seasoning and bring to a simmer. Reduce the heat to low and braise the eggplant until the sauce has reduced by half and thickened. Baste the eggplant with the sauce occasionally so it is nicely coated.

Divide the rice between serving bowls. Place the braised eggplant on top of the rice and drizzle with some of the sauce. Garnish with the spring onion and sesame seeds.

Recipe by Billy Law, from “Rice”

More Eggplant Recipes to Enjoy: Stir-Fry Udon Noodles with Eggplant, Portobello Mushroom, Thai Basil, and Celery Leaves

And: Grilled Ortolona Pizza with Zucchini, Eggplant, and Olives

And: Miso Pork Stuffed Eggplant

And: If-It-Ain’t-Broke Eggplant Caponata

And: Eggplant In Garlic Sauce

And: Roasted Eggplant with Anchovies and Oregano

And: Roasted Eggplant with Tahini, Pomegranate, Parsley, and Pecans

And: Whole-Roasted Eggplant with Calabrian Chili Crisp