You might become obsessed with making these miso aubergines, I know I am! The charred aubergine brings a delicious smokiness, balanced by the nuttiness of miso paste and a touch of sweetness from mirin. Finished off with fresh parsley, spicy chilli crisp, and crunchy toasted sesame seeds. SO GOOD.
I first made miso aubergines back in 2020, when it felt like everyone was making them. I followed a recipe, but honestly, I didn’t love it. The miso was overpowering, way too salty and bitter.
At that point, I thought maybe I didn’t enjoy miso-based dishes outside of miso soup. But this recipe changed my mind. It’s flavourful yet delicate, sweet yet savoury… balanced in all the right ways.
The trick is to cook the miso sauce separately. When miso is cooked at a high heat, it becomes harsh and bitter, which is where I went wrong in 2020.
What is Miso Aubergine/Nasu Dengaku ?
Miso Aubergine, or Nasu Dengaku, is a dish where aubergine is glazed in a savoury-sweet miso sauce. The glaze is usually made up of miso, mirin, sake, a bit of salt. I like to add freshly grated ginger for an extra kick of flavour.
To put it into context, miso dengaku refers to a style of miso-glazed dishes. It can be used on all kinds of proteins and vegetables, and the technique is said to have originated in Aichi Prefecture, in central Japan.
2 Tips for Making Miso Aubergine
- Avoid overcooking the miso. Miso has a delicate flavour and will become harsh and bitter at a high heat. In this recipe, the miso sauce is cooked at the end at a low heat to preserve the flavour.
- Don’t marinate for too long. I tested a few variations of this recipe. When I left the aubergines to marinate overnight, they lost a lot of moisture and became less juicy. A shorter marinating time gives better texture and taste.
What to Serve with Miso Aubergine
Turn this into a simple rice bowl by cooking a portion of white rice and topping it with the miso aubergine. If you find rice hard to make, check out my blog post on how to cook rice on a stovetop.
Want to make it into a full meal? Try serving it alongside a few small plates. My Glossy Japanese Pork and Potato recipe, inspired by grandma, is a favourite. Then some Yuzu Kosho Fried Chicken to round it all off would make an amazing spread.
Miso Aubergine (Nasu Dengaku)
Ingredients
Ingredients
- 1 aubergine
Marinade/Sauce
- 40 g white miso paste (approx 2 tbsp)
- 1 tbsp sake
- 1 tbsp mirin
- pinch of salt
- 10 g grated ginger
Garnish (optional)
- parsley
- drizzle of chilli oil
- toasted white sesame seeds
Instructions
- Divide the aubergine into quarters and lightly score the white parts.
- Combine all the ingredients for the sauce and coat the aubergine. Leave to marinate for 30 minutes.
- Scrape the marinade off the aubergines and set aside for later. Heat the frying pan on a high heat with a good amount of neutral oil, about a teaspoon or two.
- Add the aubergines to the pan, white side down and cook for 2 minutes, or until nicely charred. The same for the other side.
- Flip the aubergine so that the skin is in contact with the pan, add 2-3 tablespoons of water and cover with a lid. Cook for 2-3 minutes, or until fork tender.
- Lower the heat and transfer the aubergines to a plate to rest whilst you make the sauce.
- Using the marinade you scraped off earlier, add to the pan and gently cook until slightly thicker. Pour onto a plate and lay the aubergines on top.
- Garnish with toasted sesame seeds, parsley, and a drizzle of chilli oil. Serve and enjoy!
