The Japanese classic: tender eggplant halves, seared then lacquered with a sweet-and-savory miso glaze, caramelized under the broiler and sprinkled with sesame. Simple, authentic, and served hot just as in Japan.
Ingredients
- 4 pieces eggplants (preferably small Japanese eggplants)
- 80 g red miso (aka miso) or white miso
- 4 tbsp mirin
- 2 tbsp cooking sake
- 1 tbsp granulated sugar
- 3 tbsp neutral oil
- 1 tsp white sesame seeds
Method
- Prepare the dengaku glaze: in a small saucepan, combine the miso, mirin, sake, and sugar. Thicken over low heat, stirring constantly, until you obtain a smooth, glossy, and slightly syrupy paste. Remove from heat and set aside.
- Wash the eggplants, remove the stem, and cut them in half lengthwise. Score the flesh in a deep crosshatch pattern without piercing the skin, so the glaze can penetrate and the eggplants cook evenly.
- Heat the neutral oil in a large skillet over medium heat. Place the eggplants flesh-side down and sear until well browned.
- Flip the eggplants skin-side down, cover, and continue cooking over low heat until the flesh is completely tender, pressing lightly with the back of a spoon to check.
- Preheat the broiler. Arrange the eggplants flesh-side up on a parchment-lined baking sheet, and generously brush each half with the miso glaze.
- Broil until the glaze bubbles and caramelizes in places, watching carefully to prevent it from burning.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve immediately, piping hot.
Nutrition
Per serving
- Energy
- 206.9 kcal
- Protein
- 2.98 g
- Carbohydrate
- 15.86 g
- Fat
- 13.12 g
- Fibre
- 1.55 g
- Calcium
- 26.79 mg
- Iron
- 0.68 mg
- Magnesium
- 16.69 mg
