Starter Japanese
Aubergine with caramelised miso glaze
Vegan
Editorially prepared
A small nasu dengaku-style starter: almost creamy aubergine with a thin, sweet-savoury miso glaze caramelised under the grill. Finished simply with sesame and spring onion.
Plan this meal
Set your servings and add the meal. Open your plan to choose more meals and find your combined shopping list.
COOK YOUR WAY
Take this recipe to the kitchen
Start a session to tick off ingredients and steps and use timers.
Ingredients
4 servings · metric units
Allow one small piece per person. When increasing the quantity, keep the pieces a similar thickness and arrange them in a single layer. Spread the glaze thinly. Grill in batches if the pieces do not all fit beneath the element; each extra batch needs approximately 3–5 minutes plus time to change the tray.
Substitutions
Substitute amounts are adjusted to your selected servings.
- Instead of sakewater instead of sake
Add a few drops at a time until the paste is thick but spreadable. Water loosens the glaze without adding sake's aroma.
- Instead of mirinwater and sugar instead of mirin
For the base batch, replace the mirin with 5 ml water and approximately 1 g extra sugar. The glaze will retain its sweetness but have less aroma. Do not replace mirin with the same quantity of rice vinegar.
Shopping for this recipe
Your list uses the selected servings and fridge. Stock quantities are unknown — check you have enough.
Optional ingredients and substitutions
You’ll need
Oven with a grill function · Small metal baking tray and aluminium foil · Chopping board and sharp knife · Kitchen scales and measuring spoons · Small bowl and teaspoon · Pastry brush · Spatula · Serving platter
Method
0/8 stepsMix the glaze
Set the oven to 220°C conventional and allow approximately 15 minutes to preheat. Meanwhile, mix the white miso with the sugar, then stir in the mirin and sake. Mix until the glaze is smooth and thick but spreadable. Set aside and prepare the aubergine.
Mix the glaze Prepare the pieces
Wash and dry the aubergine and remove the stalk. Halve lengthways, then cut the halves crossways to make the pieces specified in the ingredients. Score the flesh in a criss-cross pattern approximately 3 mm deep without cutting through the skin. Brush the cut surfaces lightly with sesame oil. Place cut-side down on a foil-lined metal tray.
Prepare the pieces Roast until tender
Put the tray into the preheated oven. Roast for approximately 20–25 minutes from insertion; you can prepare the spring onion meanwhile. Before removing the tray, check the thickest piece: a knife should slide in almost without resistance and the flesh should be soft and slightly collapsed. If it is still springy or spongy, continue roasting and check every 5 minutes. Remove only when the centre is tender.
25:00Roast until tender Prepare the garnishes
While the aubergine roasts, wash and dry the spring onion greens, slice into thin rings and set aside for serving. Have the toasted sesame seeds ready. Once this preparation is finished, check the aubergine for tenderness as described in the previous step.
Prepare the garnishes Optional: prepare ahead
Optional, when preparing ahead: leave the fully roasted aubergine unglazed, transfer to a shallow container, cool and refrigerate within 2 hours of roasting. Before serving, preheat the oven to 180°C conventional. Place the chilled pieces skin-side down on the tray, cover loosely with foil and reheat for approximately 15–20 minutes from insertion. Check the thickest piece: the centre must be steaming hot. If it is not, continue reheating in 5-minute increments. Remove the foil and only then proceed to glazing; a brief spell under the grill will not heat a cold centre.
Optional: prepare ahead Apply the glaze
Once the aubergine is tender and hot throughout, switch the oven to a high grill and allow approximately 3 minutes to heat. Keep the tray outside the oven. Turn the pieces skin-side down and spread the glaze thinly over the flesh, avoiding thick patches of paste. Position a shelf so the tray will sit approximately 15–18 cm below the element.
03:00Apply the glaze Caramelise the surface
Slide the tray under the hot grill and watch it throughout. Grill for approximately 3–5 minutes from insertion, until the glaze bubbles and turns golden brown with a few darker caramelised patches. Remove sooner if it darkens quickly; do not wait for a blackened surface. If it is still pale, continue grilling and check every 30 seconds.
04:00Caramelise the surface Garnish and serve
Use a spatula to transfer the pieces to a shared platter, glaze-side up. Sprinkle with the toasted sesame seeds and prepared spring onion. Serve immediately without additional sauces.
Garnish and serve
My note for next time
Saved automatically in this browser. This note is not sent to the editors. 0/2000
Tips
- The flesh must be tender before you add the glaze. If a knife meets resistance, roast for longer; the grill browns the surface but does not replace cooking the centre.
- Do not use baking parchment under the grill. A metal tray lined with aluminium foil works for both stages.
- For a party, prepare the glaze up to 3 days ahead and roast the aubergine on the day. The chilled option needs approximately 15 minutes to preheat the oven and 15–20 minutes to reheat, in addition to cooling and storage time.
Storage
Keep the glaze in a sealed container in the fridge for up to 3 days. If saving the roasted aubergine for later, cool it and refrigerate within 2 hours of roasting; keep at 4°C or below and use within 2 days. It is best stored without the glaze or garnishes. Reheat until hot throughout before glazing. Store leftovers of the finished dish in the same way; cover when reheating to protect the glaze from burning.
Timing
Hands-on: 29 min · Cooking: 29 min
The total allows for tasks done in parallel. The individual times can overlap.
