Miso Glazed Aubergine (Japanese Miso Eggplant)

5 from 1 vote

Miso Glazed Aubergine (Japanese Miso Eggplant)

Soft, buttery and deliciously umami miso-glazed aubergine (Japansese miso eggplant). A 15-minute recipe with 4 core ingredients.

Prep Time7

Cook Time8

Course: Main Course, Side Dish

Cuisine: Japanese

Diet: Vegan, Vegetarian

Servings: people

Calories: 221kcal

Author: Helen

Ingredients

2 aubergines/eggplant washed (Note 1)
1 tbsp neutral oil (Note 2)
1 tbsp miso paste (Note 3)
2 tsp brown sugar (Note 4)
½ tbsp mirin (Note 5)
½ tbsp sake or water

To serve:

toasted sesame seeds
spring onions/scallions green parts only finely chopped
Nori - cut into thin strips

Instructions

Set your grill oven/broiler to its highest heat.
Prepare the aubergines/eggplants. Cut off the stems, slice them into quarters vertically and score the inside of each slice in a diamond cross pattern. Be careful not to cut through the skin.
Brush the inside of each slice with oil.
Place the slices onto your grill pan/broil pan with the outsides facing upwards and brush them with oil too.
Place the grill/broil pan in the middle of the grill/broiler and cook for 4 to 5 minutes, until you see the skins begin to crease a little.
Meanwhile, mix the miso paste, mirin and sake (or water) in a small bowl.
Remove the aubergines/eggplant from the grill/broiler and turn over so the insides are facing up.
Brush each piece with the miso sauce generously, ensuring that the sauce fills the gaps where the aubergine/eggplant has been scored.
Return to the grill/broiler for 2-3 more minutes until the tops of the aubergines are brown.
Top with toasted sesame seeds, green onions/scallions and nori strips. Serve immediately on white rice or alone as a side dish.

Notes

Aubergine/eggplant: Traditionally, Japanese aubergine/eggplant is used. These have thinner skin, longer narrower shape and milder flavour compared to the large dark purple aubergine/eggplant commonly found in the UK and US. Japanese aubergine/eggplant is the best option if you can access it, but it can be hard to find. I often use the larger readily available aubergine/eggplant and slice them vertically into quarters, so they cook faster and are easier to eat with chopsticks.
Oil: Use a neutral oil with a high burn point like canola, vegetable oil or groundnut.
Miso paste: Use light or white miso. It has a milder and sweeter taste compared to darker varieties, allowing the natural flavours of the aubergine/eggplant to shine through without overpowering them.
Brown sugar: Has a rich and caramelised sweetness, but you can substitute with white sugar.
Mirin: Substitute with Chinese cooking wine or dry sherry + 1 tsp white sugar.

Storage:

You can store the cooked miso aubergine/eggplant in the fridge for up to 3 days. Make sure you cover it or put it into an airtight container and wait for it to cool first. You can reheat it in the microwave or covered with foil in the oven. It is not suitable for freezing because of its high water content.

Nutrition