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Nasu no miso itame
Miso-glazed aubergine
Nasu no miso itame: aubergine stir-fried and glazed in sweet miso
Nasu no miso itame is a summer weeknight favourite across Japan, when aubergines are cheap and glossy: chunks are fried until creamy, then glazed in a sticky sauce of miso, soy, sugar and mirin and spooned over hot rice. Mirin contains a little alcohol, which mostly cooks off as the sauce bubbles; for an alcohol-free version use 1 tbsp water with an extra ½ tsp sugar. The common mistake is adding all the oil at once: aubergine drinks it, so start with a little, cover briefly to steam the pieces soft, then finish with more. Chef's tip: mix the sauce before you start, because miso burns within seconds once it hits the hot pan.
- Total time
- 15 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 2
Ingredients
- 2 auberginesabout 450 g, cut into 3 cm chunks
- 2 ½ tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 ½ tbsp red or mixed miso
- 1 tbsp mirin
- 2 tsp sugar
- 1 tsp soy sauce
- 1 tsp gingergrated
- 1 spring onion (optional)sliced
- 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds (optional)
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Method
0/4 doneStep 1: Mix 1 ½ tbsp red or mixed miso, 1 tbsp mirin, 2 tsp sugar, 1 tsp soy sauce, 1 tsp ginger and 2 tbsp water in a cup until smooth.
2 minStep 2: Heat 1 ½ tbsp vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium-high heat. Add 2 aubergines, toss to coat, then cover and cook for 4 minutes, shaking the pan once.
4 minStep 3: Uncover, add the rest of 1 tbsp vegetable oil and fry for 3–4 minutes more, turning, until the chunks are browned and soft right through when pierced with a chopstick.
4 minStep 4: Lower the heat, pour in the sauce and toss for 1 minute until it bubbles and clings in a thick glaze. Scatter with 1 spring onion and 1 tsp toasted sesame seeds and serve over rice.
1 min
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 250 kcal
- Protein
- 4 g
- Carbs
- 20 g
- Fat
- 17 g
- Fibre
- 6 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does nasu no miso itame take?
- About 15 minutes in total: 5 minutes to prepare and 10 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 2 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it vegan?
- Yes. It has no meat, fish, dairy or eggs.
- What can I use instead of mirin?
- Rice vinegar with ½ tsp sugar per tbsp.
- What can I use instead of sugar?
- Caster sugar, same amount.
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