Skip to playerSkip to main content
  • 19 hours ago
Miso eggplant, or miso dengaku, is an easy Japanese eggplant recipe that turns tender eggplant into a soft, savory dish with a glossy miso glaze. This dish usually uses halved or sliced eggplant cooked until the inside becomes silky, then topped with a sauce made from miso paste, mirin, sake, sugar, and sometimes sesame or ginger for extra depth. As the glaze warms and lightly caramelizes, it coats the surface with sweet salty umami while the eggplant becomes rich, soft, and almost creamy. The contrast between the deep miso flavor and the mild vegetable makes each bite satisfying without needing a complicated method. The final miso dengaku works well with steamed rice, grilled fish, tofu, noodles, or other Japanese side dishes, making it a simple home meal with tender texture and bold flavor.
Transcript
00:00Hi, I'm Yuto, and today on Sudachi I'm going to show you how to make a delicious miso-colised
00:04eggplant dish called Nasudengaku.
00:06Let's get straight to it.
00:08Start preheating your grill or broiler on medium and then grab two washed eggplants.
00:13Cut off the stems at the top and then cut them in half lengthwise.
00:18I'm using Japanese eggplant but Chinese eggplant or other eggplants also works well.
00:24On the flesh side, score a fine crosshatch pattern.
00:27Not only will this improve the texture of the eggplant but also allow the miso-glaze
00:32to seep into the cut, helping the flavour travel deeper.
00:39Once your grill has finished preheating, place the eggplant with the flesh side facing up.
00:44I'm using a Japanese fish grill so the heat source is on the top,
00:48similar to the broiler function on a standard oven.
00:51Grill for about 3 minutes, then flip and grill the skin side for 5 minutes.
00:56Check occasionally to make sure it's not burning.
01:01In the meantime, let's make the glaze.
01:04Take a small saucepan and add 2 tablespoons of yellow miso paste,
01:082 tablespoons of sake, 1 teaspoon of mirin,
01:12half tablespoon of light brown sugar, and half tablespoon of toasted sesame oil.
01:18Turn on the heat to medium-high and mix continuously.
01:22We want to bring it to a boil, but miso is prone to burning so you need to keep mixing
01:27it.
01:28Once it's bubbling, reduce the heat to low and continue to stir over the heat until it's thickened slightly.
01:35I like using a silicone spatula so I can scrape the bottom of the pan.
01:40When it looks like this, take it off the heat.
01:45Let's check on the eggplant.
01:48They're slightly charred, which is a good thing.
01:51We want them to be quite well cooked so that they're nice and soft.
01:56Flip them back over, and then spread the miso glaze over the top.
02:00The glaze should cover them in a nice thick layer.
02:04Once they're covered, return them to the grill and cook for another 2 minutes or so,
02:10until the miso glaze has caramelised.
02:13They're ready when the miso is bubbling and has turned dark like this.
02:20Arrange them on a plate and sprinkle them with sesame seeds.
02:26I also like to add some thinly sliced shiso leaves for a refreshing touch.
02:31And that's it, delicious nasu dengaku.
02:33It's perfect as a side dish or even a party appetizer.
02:37And great news, I've launched a free mobile app that makes following along with my recipes even easier.
02:43It's the perfect kitchen companion after watching my videos.
02:47You can access step-by-step instructions right on your phone while you cook.
02:51The download link is in the description below.
02:54Thank you so much for watching.
02:56If you want to read the written version of this recipe,
02:59you can find it on my blog.
03:00The link is on the screen.
03:02And if you like eggplants, check out my fake unagi eggplant recipe on the screen too.
03:08Hope to see you in the next one.
03:09Bye.
Comments

Recommended