Japanese Eggplant With Miso

Missy Wombat's Note:

A recipe passed on by Australian chef Simon Bryant which he obtained on a trip to Japan.

• Total Time: 50 mins
• Prep Time: 30 mins
• Cook Time: 20 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 4

• 50 g miso (red or white)
• 1 tablespoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon mirin
• 1 tablespoon sake
• 1 egg yolk
• 2 eggplants
• salt, to taste
• 2 tablespoons white sesame seeds, toasted
• 1 teaspoon japanese chilli five-spice powder (if you like it hot- this has black sesame, mandarin, chilli, hemp seed & white sesame) (optional)
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 4 green onions (to garnish)

Directions:

1. In a bowl mix together miso, sugar, sake, mirin, sake and egg yolk.
2. Wash eggplant and cut lengthways in 1cm thick pieces. Sprinkle with salt and leave ½ hour. Rinse, pat dry then brush with a little veg oil on both sides.
3. Either BBQ, grill or panfry eggplant until soft.
4. Spread one side with miso mix, and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Grill for a few minutes until the miso bubbles on top.
5. Serve, garnished with a little julienned spring onion greens.

Reviews

[Kitsune]

This was so GOOD! I didn't use the 5 spice because (1) I didn't have any and (2) I somehow overlooked that bit. Still, this was very delicious. I used my George Foreman grill to cook the eggplant and it worked great. I think next time I'll slice the eggplant a bit thicker though. I'm thinking this would be nice on fish as well.

[Manon Barwick]

I have now cooked this recipe about 4 times and I LOVE it! I have used white and awase(mix of red and white) miso and both turned out really well. I find that if I put the lid on my frypan when I'm cooking the eggplant before adding the miso it draws out more of the bitterness. I also use brown sugar and serving with spring onions is a MUST for me! Thanks so much!