Miso-glazed eggplant (ナスの田楽)

I’ve cooked eggplant a few times lately only to realize that this vegetable is a bit tricky. Eggplants either cook for too long where they lose their composition and resemble a purple pile or mush or they are undercooked and taste like I’m eating it straight from the garden.

When I visited Japan last year, there were eggplant offerings at numerous restaurants, all prepared to perfection. This scoring method will ensure the eggplants cook all the way through and soak up the flavor of the applied glaze. Make sure to NOT cut it too deep where you cut the skin. This dish can be eaten with a protein and miso soup to emulate a simple Japanese meal!

MISO-GLAZED EGGPLANT

INGREDIENTS

  • 2 large eggplants

  • 1 tbsp miso paste

  • 1 tbsp sake

  • 1 tbsp mirin

  • 1 tsp brown sugar

  • 1/2 tbsp soy sauce/tamari/coconut aminos

  • 2 tbsp any type of oil (I recommend olive oil, avocado oil, or sesame oil)

  • Optional garnishes: togarashi spice, furikake, sesame seeds, chili flakes, crispy garlic

DIRECTIONS

  1. Cut eggplants in half right down the middle.

  2. With a smaller knife, score the eggplant meat in criss-crossed shapes.

  3. Drizzle the oil all over the eggplant, front and back and especially into the crevices that you just scored.

  4. On a pan at medium heat, lay the eggplants flat and let them cook for 3-5 minutes on each side. Be vigilant and check after the 3 minute mark to see if it’s already ready to be flipped to the other side.

  5. In the meantime, mix the rest of the ingredients (soy sauce, mirin, sake, miso, sugar) into a small bowl until it’s combined well.

  6. Remove the eggplant from the heat with the scored side facing up.

  7. Lather the miso glaze all over. You can top this with any of the optional garnishes recommend. Eat as a side or main dish over a bed of grains and enjoy!

Lazy MealsBryn Yasuivegan, veganasian, meal prep, veganjapanesefoodComment