This Miso Glazed Eggplant (Nasu Dengaku) recipe is incredibly tasty and incredibly easy to make. It only requires five ingredients and one of them (ginger) is optional.
I always have the miso glaze ingredients on hand. Whenever I walk past fresh eggplants in the produce section, I can't resist and I have to grab a few for this quick dish.
How to Pick Eggplants for Nasu Dengaku
Fortunately, it's very easy to pick a good eggplant. Unlike watermelon, which takes a bit of know-how, some heavy lifting, and maybe some knocking. Eggplants don’t require much.
If the skin looks shiny, wrinkle free and feels firm, then you’ve got yourself a good one. My rule of thumb is - if it looks and feels fresh, it is fresh.
As for as variety goes, you can use any type of eggplant you find or prefer. They all work perfectly fine.
I prefer to use long Japanese/Chinese eggplants over globe eggplants. They're sweeter and less bitter. Also, the high skin to flesh ratio make them easier to pan fry and easier to transfer to a baking sheet.
With that said, whatever you prefer or whatever you can find at the grocery store will work for this Miso Glazed Eggplant recipe. Just be sure to select eggplant that are similar in size and shape so they cook evenly.
How to Make Miso Glazed Eggplant
Combine all the miso glaze ingredients in a small bowl and mix well. Trim the stems off the eggplants. If you're using Japanese/Chinese eggplants or other small varieties, slice them lengthwise in half. If you're using globe eggplants, cut them crosswise into 1 inch thick slices.
In a skillet over medium heat, pan fry both sides of the eggplant with a bit of oil. Pan fry until the eggplant is lightly browned on both sides and tender and cooked through. Transfer the eggplant to a foil lined baking sheet, skin side down.
Brush a generous amount of miso glaze on top of the eggplants. Broil in an oven or toaster oven at 400°F degrees for 2-3 minutes. Keep a close eye on it. You want the miso glaze to caramelize but not burn. There's sugar in the glaze so it'll go from caramelized to burnt rather quickly.
We hope you enjoy this eggplant recipe! If you're an avid eggplant lover like I am, here's one of my favorite Chinese eggplant recipes.
Ingredients
- 1-1.5 lb eggplants, sliced in half lengthwise or into 1" thick slices
Miso Glaze
- 1 tablespoon miso paste
- 1 tablespoon mirin
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- 1 teaspoon grated ginger, optional
Instructions
- Combine all the MISO GLAZE ingredients in a small bowl. Mix well until the sugar is dissolved.
- Heat a tablespoon of oil in a frying pan or skillet over medium heat. Non-stick works best.
- Add the eggplant, cut side down and pan fry until it's nicely browned. If your eggplants are long, cut them in half to fit your pan.
- Flip the eggplant over and pan fry the other side until it's tender and cooked through.
- Carefully transfer the eggplants, skin side down, onto a foil lined baking sheet.
- Use a basting brush and generously brush the miso glaze on top of the eggplant.
- In an oven or toaster oven, broil at 400°F until the miso glaze caramelizes, about 2-3 minutes. Be careful not to let the glaze burn.
- Garnish with scallions and sesame seeds.
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