Roasted Eggplant with Miso Sauce
Asian Fasting Recipes Vegetables
Arad eggplants have appeared in the market. I already know that, even though they're greenhouse-grown, these will be the best eggplants of the year. Probably the variety and the fact that they're picked on time (they're smaller, very firm and heavy for their size) makes them always white, buttery, and never bitter. And because they're so tender and small, they're ideal for roasting or grilling.
Today I chose to glaze them with a Japanese-inspired sauce. They turned out more addictive than a good Netflix series. My only problem was that I served them with rice and it felt like it took away from their impact. I'm still thinking about what would go well with them... or maybe you have an idea?
Ingredients
600-650g eggplant (choose smaller eggplants)
1-2 tablespoons oil
a little salt
1/2 tablespoon toasted sesame seeds
Aromatic Sauce
2 garlic cloves, crushed
1 teaspoon grated ginger paste
1 tablespoon white (light) miso
1 tablespoon chili oil
2 tablespoons salty soy sauce
1 tablespoon rice vinegar
1/2 teaspoon sugar
6 tablespoons water
Servings: 3
How to prepare roasted eggplant with miso sauce
- Partially peel the eggplants (take strips lengthwise using a vegetable peeler). Then cut into not too small cubes, about 2cm. Sprinkle with just a little salt (the sauce will be salty too) and oil. Mix well.
- Spread the cubes on a baking tray lined with parchment paper and roast at 200°C for 25-30 minutes. Stir the cubes halfway through. At the end, the cubes should be cooked (taste a larger cube), soft and meaty. Don't leave them too long - they shouldn't brown too much or they'll become dry.
- While the eggplants are roasting, mix the sauce ingredients in a cup. Use homemade chili oil or store-bought. Stir the oil before using, so you get some sediment from the bottom of the jar, not just oil.
- Transfer the roasted cubes to a wide pan or wok. Pour the sauce over them and bring to a boil. Simmer on low heat for just a few minutes, until the sauce coats the cubes. Add the sesame seeds at the end. Adjust for salt.
- They're good warm or at room temperature.
