Japanese Sweet Miso Baked Eggplant - Nasu Dengaku
A restaurant-quality vegan side dish that transforms simple eggplant into a sweet, savory, melt-in-your-mouth umami bomb. Exactly like Nobu, but made in your kitchen in 25 minutes.
Servings 4 portions
Ingredients
For the den miso glaze
- 50 g (3 ⅓ tablespoon) sake or white wine
- 50 g (3 ⅓ tablespoon) mirin or sweet white wine
- 150 g (½ cups) white miso paste(Shiro miso)
- 75 g (⅓ cups) brown sugar
For the eggplant
- 2 (2) eggplants
- oil for frying
- few scallions
- few pinches of toasted sesame seeds
Instructions
Make the Glaze
- Simmer: In a small saucepan, combine the miso paste, brown sugar, sake, and mirin. Whisk over medium-low heat for 5 to 10 minutes until the sugar is completely dissolved and the glaze is smooth and slightly thickened. Set aside.
Prep the Eggplant
- Slice & Trim: Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise. Slice a very thin, flat piece off the rounded skin side (the bottom) of each half so they sit completely flat on a tray without wobbling.
- Score: Using a sharp knife, score the flesh in a criss-cross diamond pattern, cutting about 2mm (⅛ inch) deep. Crucial: Do not cut all the way through the skin!
Sear & Glaze
- Preheat: Preheat your oven to 200°C (392°F) or preheat your broiler to low. Line a baking sheet with foil or parchment paper.
- Pan-Sear: Heat the oil in a large frying pan over medium-high heat. Place the eggplant halves flesh-side down in the hot oil. Sear for 3-4 minutes until beautifully golden brown.
- First Glaze: Transfer the seared eggplant halves to your prepared baking tray, flesh-side up. Brush a generous, thick layer of the sweet miso glaze over the top of each half.
- Bake & Caramelize: Bake in the oven for 15-20 minutes, or place under the low broiler. The Trick: Brush the eggplant with another layer of glaze every 5 minutes. The dish is ready when a knife pierces the flesh with zero resistance, and the glaze is bubbling, sticky, and slightly charred at the edges.
- Garnish: Remove from the oven. Sprinkle immediately with sliced scallions and toasted sesame seeds. Serve hot!
Video
Notes
- The Pre-Sear is Mandatory: Don't skip pan-frying the eggplant! Eggplants act like sponges. Searing the flesh-side down jumpstarts the cooking process, creates a barrier, and prevents them from just boiling in their own juices in the oven.
- Make-Ahead & Storage: The miso glaze can be made up to 2 weeks in advance and stored in an airtight jar in the fridge. Leftover cooked eggplant will keep for 3 days in the fridge and reheats beautifully in the microwave or a hot oven.
- Ingredient Substitutions: If you cannot find Sake, use a dry white wine or water mixed with a tiny splash of rice vinegar. If you don't have Mirin, use a sweet white dessert wine or simply add an extra tablespoon of sugar to the glaze.
- BBQ Grill Method: To cook on a barbecue, sear the scored flesh side on the hot grates first. Flip them over, move to indirect heat, apply the glaze, and cover the grill. Brush with more glaze every few minutes until the glaze is soft and caramelized.
Nutrition
Serving: 150g Calories: 232kcal Carbohydrates: 47g Protein: 7g Fat: 3g Saturated Fat: 1g Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g Monounsaturated Fat: 1g Sodium: 1504mg Potassium: 637mg Fiber: 9g Sugar: 32g Vitamin A: 85IU Vitamin C: 5mg Calcium: 59mg Iron: 2mg
Keywords:nasu den gaku, sweet miso eggplant
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