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Japanese style eggplant (Nasu Dengaku)

Servings 2
Prep Time 10 minutes
Cook Time 15 minutes
Resting time 30 minutes

Ingredients

  • 1 large eggplant
  • 1.5 tbsp soy sauce
  • 2 tbsp rice miso
  • 2 tbsp mirin or rice vinegar (might be easier to find, in organic shops for instance)
  • 1 tbsp honey
  • sesame seeds

Instructions

  • Rinse the eggplant. Cut in half. Slit the skin very slightly with the tip of a knife.
  • Cut the eggplant into medium-sized strips. Cut the strips into pieces of about 3/4 cm.
  • Steam the eggplant pieces for 12 to 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the cooking process.
  • Meanwhile, prepare the marinade. Mix the soy sauce, miso, mirin (or rice vinegar) and honey and whisk to combine.
  • Once the eggplant pieces are cooked, place them in a dish. Pour the marinade over them and mix well to coat the pieces with the sauce. Leave to rest for about 30 minutes.
  • Heat a drizzle of sesame (or other) oil in a pan and fry the marinated eggplant pieces for 3 minutes until hot.
  • Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately.

Notes

Nasu Dengaku" is traditionally prepared by first frying the halved eggplant in a pan with a lid on, with the flesh lightly cut into strips (cooking both sides for 5 to 7 minutes). Then place the eggplant halves in a dish, flesh side up, and brush with the marinade, and leave to cook for about 4 minutes. 
Here I propose a lighter version by steaming the eggplant instead of frying them at the beginning. 
Course: Side Dish
Cuisine: Asian