Eggplant With Miso

Photo: flickr user FotoosVanRobin

Ingredients

1/2 cup sesame seeds

canola oil for frying

4 (6 oz)s Japanese eggplants

1 cup Den Miso (see below)

Pickled ginger and plums for garnish (optional)

Den Miso:

1 1/2 cups white miso

3/4 cup sugar

3/4 cup sake

3/4 cup mirin

Preparation

For the Den Miso: Combine miso and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Add sake and mirin, and whisk to combine using a heavy whisk. Cook over boiling water, stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved and the color begins to darken, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool.

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread sesame seeds on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove to a shallow dish to cool. Increase heat to broil. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Set aside.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 360 degrees in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Halve aubergines lengthwise with flesh side scored in a cross-hatch pattern. Place aubergine in saucepan, skin-side up, and cook for 1 minute. Turn, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove to paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

Transfer aubergine, skin-side down, to an unlined baking sheet. Spread each aubergine half with slightly more than 1 tablespoon den miso. Broil to heat through, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and garnish with pickled ginger and plums.