Nasu Dengaku with Miso Glaze, Rice and Miso Soup
Nasu Dengaku is a classic Japanese dish: pan-fried eggplant halves with a sweet-savory miso glaze. It is served with rice and a quick miso soup with tofu.
By yumbelo · 2 servings · 45 minutes
Ingredients
- 2 pc Eggplants
- 2 tbsp Cooking oil
- 3 tbsp light miso (shiro miso)
- 2 tbsp mirin
- 1 tbsp brown sugar
- 1 tsp sesame seeds
- 150 g short-grain rice
- 1 tbsp dark miso paste
- 500 ml water
- 100 g firm tofu
- 1 pinch dried wakame
- 1 pc spring onion
- 1 tsp vegetable stock (powder)
Method
- Rinse the rice under running water until the water runs clear, then bring it to a boil in a pot with the specified amount of water. Reduce the heat, cover, and let it simmer for about 15 minutes, then let it rest for 10 minutes.
- Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise and score the cut surfaces in a diamond pattern about one centimeter apart, without cutting through the skin.
- For the glaze, stir together light miso, dark miso, mirin, and brown sugar in a small pot with 2 tbsp water and bring to a brief boil while stirring until a thick glaze forms.
- Heat the cooking oil in a large pan and fry the eggplants cut side down for about 4 minutes, until golden brown.
- Turn the eggplants, cover with a lid, and cook over medium heat for another 8 to 10 minutes, until the flesh is soft.
- Brush the cut surfaces with the miso glaze and caramelize under the grill or in the pan for 2 minutes.
- For the soup, bring 500 ml water with the vegetable stock to a boil, soak the wakame briefly and add it. Dice the tofu and simmer for 2 to 3 minutes.
- Remove the soup from the heat, ladle out some of the broth, whisk the miso into it until smooth, and return it to the pot without letting the soup boil again.
- Slice the spring onion into fine rings. Sprinkle the eggplants with spring onion and sesame and serve together with the rice and soup.