Spicy Eggplant with Miso.
We had fond memories of the spicy eggplant with miso recipe from Japanese Country Cookbook, an artful paperback issued by the long-closed Mingei-Ya in San Francisco. But when we picked up a used copy we were surprised to discover most recipes were loaded with sugar. We’ve reinvented the recipe with zero sugar, since miso is plenty sweet on its own. Serves 4 as a vegetable side dish.
Ingredients:
1 lb Japanese eggplant (the long, skinny ones)
Kosher salt
Oil for sautéing
½ t red chili flakes
½ c or so chopped scallions, including the green
3 T red or yellow miso
3 T water or mirin or a combination
Method: trim off the stems and slice eggplant, unpeeled, on the bias into wedges about ¾ inch thick. Sprinkle exposed flesh with salt and rest in a bowl or colander until a good amount of liquid has been pulled out, about half an hour. Dry thoroughly with paper towels then sauté in wok or pan until eggplants are tender, maybe 7 minutes. Add scallions and sauté till slightly wilted. Add chili flakes. Mix miso and water/mirin and stir till it reaches a smooth consistency like heavy cream. Add to the eggplant in the skillet and mix in; heat through and serve over rice.
