Miso Aubergine Recipes

MISO-GRILLED AUBERGINE & CUCUMBER PICKLE RICE BOWL

Steps:

• Slice the cucumber into thin rounds and place in a bowl. Add 1 large pinch each of sea salt and sugar, 2 tablespoons of the rice vinegar, and massage it into the cucumber.
• Place a dish on top inside the bowl and weigh it down with something heavy. Set aside to allow the excess water to drain out.
• Rinse the rice well, until the water runs almost clear. Drain and place in a small saucepan along with 375ml of water.
• Pop a glass lid on, bring to the boil, then cook over a low heat for 25 minutes, or until you can see holes in the surface of the rice (don't be tempted to lift the lid). Take off the heat and leave, covered, for 20 minutes.
• Fold 4 tablespoons of rice vinegar, the tablespoons of sugar and 1 pinch of salt into the rice.
• Set the grill to high. Quarter the aubergine lengthways and score the flesh. Place flesh-side up on a foil-lined baking tray and grill for 15 minutes, or until almost tender.
• Mix the miso and mirin with the remaining tablespoon of rice vinegar and 1 tablespoon of water. Brush half the glaze over the aubergine; grill for a further 8 to 10 minutes, brushing with the remaining glaze halfway, until tender.
• Meanwhile, toast the sesame seeds (if using) in a dry frying pan until golden.
• Place the aubergine on a bed of sticky rice. Trim and finely slice the spring onions, scatter over the aubergine with the sesame seeds (if using) and serve with cucumber pickle on the side.

MISO-GLAZED AUBERGINE (NASU DENGAKU)

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF
• Using a medium-size mixing bowl add the miso paste, sesame oil, soy sauce, rice vinegar, maple syrup, and hot water. Mix all the ingredients until they are well combined.
• To prepare the aubergines, cut them in halves lengthwise. Score the inside of the aubergine in squares making diagonal cuts. The cuts need to be deep but keeping the skin untouched.
• Using a brush, marinate the aubergine with the miso glaze. Make sure enough sauce is used on each aubergine.
• Place some baking paper on a baking tray, lay the marinated aubergines (facing up) and bake for around 30-40 minutes.
• When the aubergines are cooked, take them out of the oven and drizzle some extra miso mixture on the top, add finely chopped onions and sprinkle some sesame seeds.

NASU DENGAKU - MISO GLAZED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Slice eggplant in half and using a knife, score the inside in small squares.
• In a pan over high heat, add oil and put the eggplant skin facing down.
• Cook for a few minute until skin is brown. Turn the eggplant over and cover with a lid. Cook until eggplant is cooked through (about 3 to 4 minutes).
• Meanwhile, in a bowl, mix miso, mirin, sugar and sake.
• Cover a cooking tray with foil and place the eggplant on top. Brush miso dengaku mix on top of each eggplant until all the surface is coated.
• Put in the oven and broil for 4 minutes. The miso mix should be bubbling when you take it out of the oven.
• Sprinkle sesame seeds on top and serve hot.

MISO-GLAZED EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and cut off the stem and calyx. Using the tip of a paring knife, cut an incision down the middle of each half, making sure not to cut through the skin, but cutting down to it. Salt the eggplant lightly and let sit for 10 minutes. Meanwhile preheat the oven to 425 degrees. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment and brush with sesame oil.
• Blot the eggplants with paper towels and place, cut side down, on the baking sheets. Roast for 15 to 20 minutes, until the skin is beginning to shrivel and the flesh is soft. Remove from the oven, carefully turn the eggplants over, and preheat the broiler.
• To make the glaze, combine the mirin and sake in the smallest saucepan you have and bring to a boil over high heat. Boil 20 seconds, taking care not to boil off much of the liquid, then turn the heat to low and stir in the miso and the sugar. Whisk over medium-low heat without letting the mixture boil, until the sugar has dissolved. Remove from the heat and whisk in the sesame oil.
• Brush the eggplants with the miso glaze, using up all of the glaze. Place under the broiler, about 2 inches from the heat, and broil for about 1 minute, until the glaze begins to bubble and looks shiny. Remove from the heat. Allow to cool if desired or serve hot. To serve, cut the eggplant halves on the diagonal into 1- to 1-1/2-inch slices.

MISO-GLAZED AUBERGINES

Steps:

• Heat the grill to high. Halve 2 large aubergines lengthways and score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern.
• Heat 3 tbsp mild olive oil in a frying pan and fry the aubergines, flesh-side down, for 5 minutes, then flip and cook for 5 minutes more.
• Make a paste with 4 tbsp brown miso, 3 tbsp honey, 2 tbsp soy sauce, 3 tbsp mirin and 2 tsp sesame oil.
• Put the aubergines on a baking sheet and spread the flesh with the paste. Grill for around 4-5 minutes until bubbling. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds and sliced spring onions to serve.

WHOLE ROASTED MISO AUBERGINE

Steps:

• Preheat your oven to 180°C/350ºC/gas 4.
• Peel the ginger and garlic, and finely slice the chillies. Pierce the aubergines all over with a paring knife, as if you were making incisions into a piece of meat.
• Grate the ginger into a large mortar and pestle, and bash together with the garlic, chillies and a good pinch of salt until you have a thick paste. Mix in just enough oil to make it spoonable, then spoon the mixture over the aubergines and massage it into the incisions, really getting the flavours inside.
• Place the aubergines in a large roasting tray, dot the cherry tomatoes around, and pop into the oven for 40 minutes, turning a couple of times.
• While the aubergines are cooking, trim and finely slice the spring onions and roughly chop the coriander, stalks and all. Put into a bowl, squeeze over the lime juice to coat and mix all together. Leave to one side.
• Mix together the tamarind, honey and miso and add enough water to make a thick glaze. Remove the roasting tray from the oven after 40 minutes, turn the oven up to 200°C/gas 6, and drizzle the miso glaze over the aubergines. Pop back into the oven for a further 15 minutes, to caramelise, then remove and leave to cool a little.
• Working carefully, remove the stalks from the aubergines and discard them, then roughly chop the flesh in the tray into coarse chunks. Stir in the dressed spring onions and coriander and serve right away.

MISO AUBERGINES

Steps:

• Heat oven to 180C/160C fan/gas 4. With a sharp knife, criss-cross the flesh of the aubergines in a diagonal pattern, then place on a baking tray. Brush the flesh with 1 tbsp vegetable oil.
• Mix the miso with 25ml water to make a thick paste. Spread the paste over the aubergines, then cover the tray with foil and roast in the centre of the oven for 30 mins.
• Remove the foil and roast the aubergines for a further 15-20 mins, depending on their size, until tender.
• Meanwhile, bring a saucepan of salted water to the boil and heat ½ tbsp vegetable oil over a medium-high heat in a frying pan. Add the couscous to the frying pan, toast for 2 mins until golden brown, then tip into the pan of boiling water and cook for 8-10 mins until tender (or following pack instructions). Drain well. Serve the aubergines with the couscous, topped with the chilli and a scattering of coriander leaves.

MISO EGGPLANT

Steps:

• Preheat the oven to 180°C / fan 160°C / 350°F / gas mark 4.
• Line a large baking tray with baking parchment and set aside.
• Halve the eggplants lengthways and flip them over. Cut a thin slice off the bottom's skin side in order to stabilise the eggplant.
• Flip it over again and score the flesh in diamond shapes. Be careful not to slice it all the way through.
• Place the eggplants in the lined baking tray and brush each half with half of the oil.
• Bake for 35-40 minutes, checking halfway through to see if more oil is required. I.e. if it looks dry, give it a brush with oil. The eggplant should be soft at the end of cooking time.
• While the eggplants are baking, make the miso sauce.
• Place all the miso sauce ingredients, except the sesame oil, in a small pot and bring to simmer.
• Continue to cook until the miso paste and sugar has dissolved.
• Stir in the sesame oil. Remove the heat and retrieve the eggplants, once cooked.
• Preheat the broiler / grill.
• Baste each eggplant with equal amounts of miso sauce then place under the broiler / grill until caramelised and golden. This will take about 3-4 minutes.
• Decorate with sesame seeds and chives. Serve immediately as a starter. Enjoy!