Name: Grilled Eggplant (Yaki Nasu )
Yield: Serves 4–5.
Cuisine: Japan
Ingredients: ½ teaspoon mirin (syrupy rice wine); 2–3 tablespoons finely shaved katsuo bushi (bonito) or 1–1½ tablespoons grated fresh ginger or 1–1½ teaspoons commercially prepared hot mustard; 4–5 whole small eggplants (no larger than 5 inches long and 4 inches in diameter at the thickest spot); 1 teaspoon soy sauce; ⅓ cup dashi (Basic Soup Stock)

Preparation info

Serves
4–5
.

Difficulty
Easy

Appears in

At Home with Japanese Cooking

By Elizabeth Andoh

Published 1986

About

These eggplants are delectable served with almost any fried or braised meat, fish or poultry dish. Choice in the final seasoning—a sprinkling of dried bonito, a small mound of grated ginger, or a dab of mustard—lets you suit your own mood or menu.

Ingredients

4–5 whole small eggplants (no larger than 5 inches long and 4 inches in diameter at the thickest spot)

Method

Lay the eggplants on a net over direct heat. Grill them over medium heat for about 10–15 minutes, turning them several times. The skin will wrinkle and the pulp soften. Peel or scrape away the skin with a dull knife to expose the tender yellowish pulp beneath. The Japanese like to keep the stems attached, but you can slice them off if you prefer before transferring each eggplant to a small shal