Miso-baked aubergine, dates, feta, crispy buckwheat and tahini yogurt

The Japanese rely on miso for the taste sensation of umami it adds to dishes, and I have been cooking with this fermented salty and sweet paste for almost 40 years and find it indispensible in my pantry. The one I use most often is a pale golden type called shiromiso (white miso – although it’s generally not white at all), which is made from rice, barley and soya beans. Some types of miso – and there are hundreds – contain wheat, so if you are gluten intolerant, read the label. If you can’t