Nasu dengaku

Japanese miso grilled aubergine

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Preparation info
    • Difficulty

      Easy

Appears in
Solo

By Signe Johansen

Published 2018

  • About

The humble aubergine is a solo cook’s friend: I love how its texture transforms from spongy to meltingly tender when you apply heat. A dish I often turn to when I crave something vegetarian, nasu dengaku is also a fitting accompaniment to grilled fish, a crisp salad, sticky rice and some Japanese pickles.

Ingredients

  • 1 medium aubergine
  • vegetable or sunflower oil, for frying
  • toasted sesame seeds, to garnish

Method

Start by slicing the aubergine in half lengthways and carefully make shallow cuts in a criss-cross diamond pattern in the flesh of both halves. Brush the cut sides of the aubergine halves with a little oil.

Place a skillet or frying pan over a medium heat, add the aubergine halves cut-side down and cook for a few minutes until the cut sides start to brown, then turn them over and cook f