• Preheat oven to 240°C/220°C fan-forced. • Heat a medium saucepan over medium heat with half the butter and a drizzle of olive oil. Cook ginger paste until fragrant, 1-2 minutes. • Add water (for the rice) and a generous pinch of salt to pan and bring to the boil. • Add jasmine rice, stir, cover with a lid and reduce heat to low. Cook for 12 minutes, then remove from heat and keep covered until rice is tender and water is absorbed, 10-15 minutes. TIP: Cover the pan with a lid if the ginger paste starts to spatter! TIP: The rice will finish cooking in its own steam so don't peek!

• While the rice is cooking, slice eggplant into 1cm-thick rounds. • Place eggplant on a lined oven tray. Add a generous drizzle of olive oil, season with salt and toss to coat. Roast until tender, 15 minutes. • Remove eggplant from oven, drizzle over the honey and gently toss to coat. Return to the oven and roast until tender, a further 7-10 minutes.

• While the eggplant is roasting, slice cucumber into rounds. • Place chicken breast between two sheets of baking paper. Pound chicken with a meat mallet or rolling pin until they are an even thickness, about 1cm-thick. • In a shallow bowl, combine sweet soy seasoning and the plain flour. In a second shallow bowl, whisk the egg. In a third shallow bowl, combine panko breadcrumbs and crushed peanuts. • Coat chicken first in the flour mixture, followed by the egg and finally the peanut-breadcrumb mixture. Set aside on a plate.

• Heat a large frying pan over medium-high heat with enough olive oil to cover the base. Cook crumbed chicken in batches, until golden and cooked through, 2-4 minutes each side. • Transfer to a paper towel-lined plate. TIP: Add extra oil if needed so the schnitzel does not stick to the pan. TIP: Chicken is cooked through when it's no longer pink inside.

• Wipe out the frying pan, then return to medium-high heat. Cook katsu paste, the water (for the sauce), brown sugar and remaining butter, stirring, until slightly reduced, 2-3 minutes. • Meanwhile, combine slaw mix, cucumber, garlic aioli and ponzu sauce in a medium bowl. Season with salt and pepper.

• Slice crumbed chicken and top with katsu sauce. Garnish eggplant with crispy shallots. • Bring everything to the table to serve. • Help yourself to some ginger rice, katsu crumbed chicken, roasted eggplant and creamy slaw. Enjoy!