Description
Learn how to make delicious miso glazed eggplant with this easy recipe. Perfect for a flavorful and healthy vegetarian meal. Click here now!
Ingredients
- 3 tbsp miso (45 ml)
- 1 tbsp sugar (15 ml)
- 1 tbsp mirin (15 ml)
- 1/2 tbsp sake (or more, if your miso is chunky; you can use water) (7.5 ml)
- 3 Japanese eggplants (1.2 lb, 518 g)
- 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil (15 ml)
- 1 green onion/scallion (or 2 thin stalks)
- 5 shiso leaves (perilla/ooba) (find it at a Japanese market; no similar substitute)
- 2 tsp toasted white sesame seeds (10 ml)
Instructions
- Assemble all necessary ingredients. Position the oven rack in the middle, approximately 7 inches (18 cm) from the heat source. Heat the oven to 425°F (220°C). If using a convection oven, lower the heat by 25°F (15°C).
- In a small dish, blend the miso with sugar until the sugar is fully incorporated.
- Pour in the mirin and sake, stirring to combine. If the mixture is too thick due to chunky miso, add a little more sake to achieve desired smoothness. Mix thoroughly and put aside.
- Remove the stems and calyxes from the Japanese eggplants. Slice them lengthwise into two boat-shaped halves. If they are particularly long, cut them in half crosswise for shorter pieces.
- Make diagonal cuts on the flat side of the eggplants about ⅛ inch (3 mm) deep, forming a crisscross pattern. This technique enhances both appearance and flavor absorption while speeding up the cooking process.
- Soak the eggplant halves in water for 10 minutes to eliminate bitterness. Pat them dry using paper towels or a clean cloth, then arrange them on a parchment-lined baking sheet.
- Coat the cut surfaces with toasted sesame oil, then flip them so the cut sides face down on the sheet.
- Roast in the oven at 425°F (220°C) for a quarter of an hour.
- In the meantime, slice the green onion/scallion into thin rings. Roll the shiso leaves and slice them into thin strips.
- After 15 minutes, take the eggplants out of the oven. Preheat the broiler while maintaining the rack’s central position, about 7 inches (18 cm) from the heat.
- Carefully turn the eggplants so the cut side faces up, then spread a layer of the sweet miso mixture over the flesh. Use enough to cover the surface, but one batch suffices for several eggplants. Any leftover glaze can be frozen or used as a vegetable dip.
- Place the eggplants under the broiler until the glaze starts bubbling and caramelizing, which should take 3–5 minutes. Remove from the broiler once ready.
- Scatter toasted sesame seeds, sliced green onions, and julienned shiso leaves over the eggplants. Optionally, serve with a touch of yuzu kosho on a maple leaf for some heat. Enjoy immediately.
- Store leftover nasu dengaku in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. The miso glaze can be refrigerated for a week or frozen for a month.
Notes
- Soak the eggplant in water before roasting to remove bitterness and improve texture.
- Slice the eggplants in a crisscross pattern to enhance flavor absorption and cooking time.
- Generously coat the eggplant surface with the sweet miso mixture for a flavorful result; customize with yuzu kosho for extra heat.
