Nasu Dengaku (roasted eggplant w/a sweet miso sauce)

This is one of my favorite ways to eat eggplant!  This particular recipe is from my Japanese cooking Teacher in Tokyo.  Some people deep fry the eggplant but I prefer roasting it in the oven, tastes much better I think.  This recipe makes more sauce than you need, but it keeps well in the fridge and can be used on all kinds of veggies, firm tofu or even meat!

for sauce
2 Tbs sugar
1 Tbs mirin
1/2 C Awase miso (mixed red & white miso) you can buy it already mixed or you can mix it yourself 1/4 C red miso and 1/4 C white miso
1 tsp hon-dashi powder or bonito powder

For the roasted eggplant you’ll need
4-5 small Japanese eggplants cut in half lengthwise
vegetable oil for brushing
Toasted sesame seeds

Making the sauce:

Whisk the sugar, mirin and miso together.  Cook over medium-low heat stirring until ingredients are mixed well and heated through about 4-5 minutes.  Do not boil it!  Take it off the heat and mix in hon dashi/bonito powder.

Roasting the eggplant:

Slice them in half lengthwise and score a criss-cross pattern into them to help retain the sauce. Brush with oil and roast in a 400* oven until the tops are a dark brown and the eggplant is cooked. Give the sliced sides a good coating of sauce, put under broiler to get a little caramelization (be careful, it will burn quickly).  Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds.

Serve immediately with some rice or as a first course  or appetizer.