Nasu Dengaku is a classic Japanese side dish made with eggplant sliced in half, scored, and brushed with a sweet and savory miso glaze.
INGREDIENTS
Crown Jewels Produce Eggplant
Vegetable Oil
Miso Paste: We prefer awase miso, which is a mixture of red and white miso paste. It is deeply savory, a little sweet – and loaded with umami.
Sugar
Mirin
Sake
Sesame Seeds
DIRECTIONS
Prepare the eggplant. First, slice the eggplant in half, lengthwise. Then score the inside flesh of each half with a knife in a criss-cross pattern.
Cook the eggplant. Get a pan going over high heat and add your oil to coat the bottom of the pan. Place your eggplant halves in the pan with the skin facing down. Cook for a few minutes until the skin begins to brown.
Flip it! Next, flip the eggplant over and cook with a lid on the pan for 3-4 minutes – until the eggplant is cooked through, and the inside flesh has browned.
Make the miso glaze. Meanwhile, whisk your miso paste, sake, mirin, and sugar together in a small bowl until you achieve a smooth consistency.
Apply the sauce. Take your eggplant halves out of the pan – and place them on top of a foil-lined baking sheet with the skin facing down. Brush each piece generously on top with the miso glaze.
Broil the nasu dengaku. Place in the oven and broil for 4 minutes. The glaze on top should be bubbling.
Serve. Top with sesame seeds and serve it immediately.