Sōmen

• 1 eggplant (aubergine)
• 1 tablespoon sesame oil
• 400 g (

Place all the mentsuyu sauce ingredients in a saucepan on a low heat. Cook for 20 minutes, then remove from the heat. (You can keep the sauce for 2 weeks in a thoroughly cleaned jar in the refrigerator.) Cut the eggplant into 3 lengthways, then into 6 mm (¼ in) thick slices. Heat the sesame oil in a saucepan and sauté the eggplant until golden, then add the mentsuyu sauce. Let it simmer for 5 m