RECIPE: Miso-Glazed Eggplant (Nasu Miso)

Eggplant with a miso-glaze using Japanese eggplant. Also known as Nasu Miso.

Time: 20 minutes.

Serves four.

Ingredients:

3 tablespoons oil (canola or peanut)

4 Japanese eggplant, cut in half length-wise and flesh scored 1/4 in. deep

1/3 cup yellow or red miso

2 tablespoons packed brown sugar

2 tablespoons sake or Mirin

1/4 teaspoon red chile flakes

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

1 teaspoon toasted sesame seeds

Directions:

1. Preheat broiler with a rack 4 in. from heat source.
2. Heat oil in an ovenproof frying pan over high heat. Add eggplant, flesh side down, and cook until flesh starts to brown and soften. This takes about 4 minutes.
3. In a small bowl, combine miso, sugar, sake, and chili flakes. Turn eggplant flesh side up and brush mixture over it.
4. Broil eggplant in pan until glaze starts to brown, which takes about 3 minutes. Sprinkle with cilantro and sesame seeds.

This post has been a contribution by Kristin Frost Albrecht on behalf of The Food Basket, Hawai’i Island’s Food Bank.