Extracted from MASU by Nic Watt, this is a really classic and simple Japanese miso dish. Served at many little local restaurants, it is a must-have with chicken yakitori. The chef has created several renditions of eggplant and miso, but find this ginger and barley miso combination to be the best.
MISO EGGPLANT RECIPE WITH GINGER AND SESAME
Cook time: 30 minutes
Serves 2
100 ml sake
100 ml mirin
2 teaspoons diced ginger
1 teaspoon caster sugar
80 g barley miso paste
2 teaspoons pickled ginger juice
2 black Nadia eggplants
vegetable oil for shallow-frying
2 teaspoons toasted sesame seeds
1. Combine the sake and mirin in a small saucepan on a high heat and flame off the alcohol. Add the diced ginger and caster sugar and reduce by half.
2. Add the miso and ginger juice, and cook gently for a couple of minutes to evenly incorporate the miso with the liquid. Allow to cool at room temperature.
3. Halve the eggplants lengthways and score the flesh a few times in a criss-cross pattern – this allows the heat to get inside.
4. Heat the oil in a frying pan over a high heat. Shallow-fry the eggplant until golden, then drain on absorbent paper and allow to cool.
5. This is best finished over charcoal on your barbecue but can be done in the oven under the grill. Heat your barbecue or grill to hot.
6. Spoon and spread the ginger miso over the flat flesh side of the eggplant. Heat until the miso is just starting to bubble, then sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and serve.
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Advertise with NZME.• This recipe is extracted from MASU by Nic Watt, $59.99, published by Allen & Unwin, available from November 1.
