Japanese Miso Eggplant

The first time I heard about miso eggplant was in a lovely cafe/restaurant in Bondi called Henley's Wholefoods. They had one of the most delicious bunless chicken burger I've ever tasted on the menu this day and it came with chargrilled miso eggplant. I wasn't sure what to except with the eggplant but when I tasted it, I seriously fell in love. I put my "food loving face" on and couldn't stop telling my girlfriend how good it was (and then I gave her a bite, obviously!). The eggplant melts in your mouth and has this incredible umami flavor you simply can't describe. Going there everyday would make me go broke quite quickly so I knew I had to recreate this recipe in my kitchen.

I cooked my eggplant in the oven and it's quite easy, really! All you need is a few Asian staples like rice vinegar and soy sauce. I found the miso paste in my local supermarket, in the "international" aisle. If you can't find it in yours, try an asian or "oriental" store. And if you still have no luck, no worries, it's just a click away on Amazon. Enjoy!

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Japanese Miso Eggplant

Course Side Dish

Cuisine Japanese

Prep Time 15 minutes

Cook Time 30 minutes

Total Time 45 minutes

Servings 3 people

Calories 118 kcal

Ingredients

• 2 eggplants 2 if medium, 3 if small, thinly sliced horizontally
• 2 tbsp miso paste red or white - I used white
• 1 tbsp rice wine vinegar
• ½ tbsp coconut sugar or brown sugar
• ½ tbsp honey or maple syrup if vegan
• 1 tsp tamari = gluten free soy sauce or traditional soy sauce
• sesame seeds to serve
• chopped scallions to serve

Instructions

1. Preheat oven to 360F - 180C.
2. Line two baking sheets with parchment paper. Arrange eggplant slices on the baking sheets without overlapping them. With a small knife, cut small incisions on each slice.
3. In a bowl, add miso paste, rice vinegar, coconut sugar, honey and tamari. Whisk well to combine.
4. Brush each slice with the mixture (on one side). If you don't have a brush, simply use a spoon.
5. Bake for 25 to 35 minutes (this will depend on your oven and the size of the slices), or until eggplant is cooked through and soft. The eggplants may look a bit dry but don't worry, they won't be. They will actually melt in your mouth.
6. Remove from the oven. Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped scallions and serve immediately.

Nutrition Facts

Japanese Miso Eggplant

Amount Per Serving (1 /3rd)

Calories 118 Calories from Fat 9

% Daily Value*

Fat 1g2%

Sodium 544mg24%

Potassium 723mg21%

Carbohydrates 25g8%

Fiber 9g38%

Sugar 15g17%

Protein 4g8%

Vitamin A 70IU1%

Vitamin C 6.7mg8%

Calcium 34mg3%

Iron 1mg6%

* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2000 calorie diet.