Miso Glazed Eggplant

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Japanese food can seem intimidating to some in the kitchen. However, it doesn’t need to be. This Miso Glazed Eggplant dish is a shining example of that. Like so many great Japanese dishes the preparation is simple, as are the cooking techniques. In under 30 minutes you will be able to produce the most wonderfully flavored Eggplant dish that is guaranteed to be a showstopper to those who eat it. The only thing better than this dishes striking visual appeal is the amazing flavors and textures it produces. Anyone can make delicious Japanese food at home, and this recipe is here to prove that!

Why is Japanese food considered scary by some to make at home?

I think when it comes to cooking homemade Japanese food the challenge really isn’t in the technique, but more-so getting used to different ingredients. There are some staple ingredients in Japanese cuisine that are in almost all their recipes. However, these ingredients such as Cooking Sake, Mirin, and Miso, for example, are less common a lot of western pantries, making these dishes seem out of the realm of possibility

The good news is that these ingredients are so widely available now that you’ll be able to find them in almost all typical grocery stores. There’s no need to make separate stops to a specialist store to buy them, meaning you can add this Miso Glazed Eggplant dish and many other great Japanese recipes to your weekly menus!

This dish is a classic Japanese Bar Food

The bar dining culture in Japan is epic. Known as ‘Izakaya’, these Japanese bars are dotted all over the country and are typically a ‘hole in the wall’ type of restaurant. Many times, there’s barely enough room for more than 5 customers, the bars would specialize in only a handful of dishes

Mainly these dishes are chosen based on what can be cooked using such a small space, as well as what ingredients are seasonal to that part of the country. Where Eggplant is popular, this recipe is a favorite. All it requires is a small oven and a little bit of bench space to make. The dish is known as ‘Nasu Dengaku’ in Japan

Yakitori is another widely popular choice for Japanese Izakaya. Yakitori roughly translates to ‘meat on a skewer’. In fact, we’ve got a delicious Chicken Yakitori recipe right here. Like so much Japanese food, it’s another easy and tasty dish to make at home

How to make the best tasting Miso Glazed Eggplant

We told you this dish is simple, so here we go! Once you’ve amassed a few of the specialist ingredients for this recipe it’s one of the easiest meals to make at home

First thing you need to do is get your hands on a relatively large Eggplant. Remove the green leafy top part of the Eggplant and then cut it straight down the middle so you’ve got two equal sized pieces. The exposed flesh of the Eggplant is where all the cooking technique is required

First step is to get a sharp knife and cut diagonal cuts about ½ inch apart across the flesh of the Eggplant to create a beautiful diamond pattern. Be careful to avoid cutting through the skin of the Eggplant. You want to cut deep into the flesh but avoid breaking the skin. This will ensure that the flavors we add to the Eggplant go deep into the vegetable, without seeping out the underside

Once cut, give the Eggplant a brush of Neutral Oil (you can use Vegetable Oil, Canola Oil or anything like that), and then roast it skin-side down in the Oven for about 20 minutes. This step is to cook the Eggplant all the way through. After 20 minutes the cooked Eggplant should be lovely and tender. If it still needs a few more minutes, just whack it back in the oven until it’s completely cooked

Making the Miso Glaze and adding it to the Eggplant

While the Eggplant is roasting away this is the perfect time to make the Miso Glaze. It’s super-easy to make too. All you need to do is combine the ingredients of Miso Paste, Mirin, Cooking Sake, Brown Sugar, and Garlic in a small bowl. Mix it all up well and it will eventually turn into a smooth paste

You can mix it using whatever technique you like, but a little hack I’ve got it to use a single chopstick. It’s the best way to mix this glaze, along with loads of other things. You don’t get anything stuck to the chopstick so you’re not wasting anything. Chances are you’ve got the chopsticks already out since it’s the best way to enjoy eating this dish, so worth giving a try!

Anyway, once the Eggplant is cooked you want to remove the pan from the Oven and carefully flip them over with some tongs so that the flesh side is facing upward. Then, apply a generous amount of the Miso Glaze to each of the Eggplants. If you’ve got a cooking brush this is the best way. Otherwise, you can use a butter knife, just be careful not to cut through the flesh

Make sure the Glaze goes into the cuts you’ve made on the Eggplant. We really want every part of that Eggplant to be coated in the Miso Glaze for the best result

To finish the dish. Place it back into the Oven but instead of roasting it (as it’s already fully cooked), this time we’re going to fire it under the broiler. The goal here is to cook the paste quickly and allow it to scorch and char the Eggplant. This will result in the most wonderfully caramelized Miso Glazed Eggplant ready to eat!

Finish the dish with a sprinkling of Scallions and Sesame Seeds and then serve hot!

The final touches on the Miso Glazed Eggplant aren’t just for good looks. The addition of some freshly sliced Scallions and Sesame Seeds adds a beautiful crunchy texture to the Eggplant, along with making the dish look beautiful

The dish does need a crunchy element, and Scallions with Sesame Seeds are a classic Japanese garnish. You can use other toppings too if you like, such as some roughly chopped Peanuts or even some shallow fried Shallots. Anything with a little bit of crunch to it is going to add a great texture to finish off the dish

Miso Glazed Eggplant Recipe

Ingredients

• 1 Eggplant
• 2 tbsp. Miso Paste
• 2 tsp. Cooking Sake
• 2 tsp. Mirin
• 2 tsp. Brown Sugar
• 2 Garlic Cloves, peeled and finely diced
• 2 Scallion Stalks, finely diced
• 1 tsp. Sesame Seeds
• ½ tbsp. Neutral Oil (Vegetable Oil / Canola Oil etc.)
  
  

Instructions

1. Remove the leafy top section of the Eggplant, and then cut it evenly into two pieces
2. With a sharp knife, score the Flesh with diagonal cuts about ½-inch apart, avoiding cutting through the skin at the bottom. Brush the Eggplant with Oil and then place flesh-side-down on a large sheet pan
3. Bake the Eggplant in the oven at 400F for 20 minutes
4. While the Eggplant is cooking, mix the Miso Paste, Rice Wine Vinegar, Mirin, Brown Sugar, and Garlic in a small bowl to form a smooth paste
5. Once the Eggplant is cooked, remove from the Oven and flip them over so the flesh is facing upwards. Brush generously with the Miso mixture then return to the Oven
6. Broil for 5 minutes until the Paste has caramelized and the surface of the Eggplant begins to bubble and turn a dark brown color. Remove from the Oven and garnish with Scallions and Sesame Seeds and serve immediately
   
   

Recipe Notes

• If the Eggplant hasn’t fully cooked after 20 minutes in the oven, give it a few more minutes. We want the Eggplant completely cooked during this step
• You can replace the Cooking Sake with Rice Wine Vinegar is an alternative
  
  

We guarantee that you’ll be amazed by the rich flavors in this Miso Glazed Eggplant dish. Not only that, cook it for a few of your friends or family and show off your skills by how beautiful this dish looks on the plate!

We love Japanese food here at Dinnertime Somewhere! Here are a few of our favorite Japanese recipes that we know you’ll love cooking:

• Japanese Beef Bowl (Gyudon)
• Teriyaki Chicken Skewers with Scallions
• Japanese Pickled Radishes
• Homemade Tuna Tartare
  
  

Happy Cooking!