Name: Nasu dengaku (miso grilled aubergine)
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 4 as a starter
Ingredients: 4 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar; 1 tbsp caster sugar; a small piece (optional) kombu; ½ yuzu zested or 1 tsp juice (or use lime zest); 1 white radish (mooli) peeled and thinly sliced; 1 large aubergine; for deep frying oil; 50ml (see below) den miso; 50g walnuts roughly chopped; a pinch sesame seeds; a pinch sansho or Szechuan pepper; to serve lemon wedges; 100g brown miso paste; 55g caster sugar; 40ml sake; 40ml mirin

4 tbsp Japanese rice vinegar
1 tbsp caster sugar
a small piece (optional) kombu
½ yuzu
zested or 1 tsp juice (or use lime zest)
1 white radish (mooli)
peeled and thinly sliced
1 large aubergine
for deep frying oil
50ml (see below) den miso
50g walnuts
roughly chopped
a pinch sesame seeds
a pinch sansho or Szechuan pepper
to serve lemon wedges
100g brown miso paste
55g caster sugar
40ml sake
40ml mirin

Method

step 1
To make the den miso, whisk the ingredients together until smooth.
step 2
Heat the vinegar, sugar, kombu and yuzu until the sugar dissolves. Season with salt. Toss the mooli with the mix, allow to cool, and chill for an hour.
step 3
Heat the oven to 220C/fan 200C/gas 7. Peel the aubergine, and cut into 3cm chunks. Heat the oil in a pan, no more than 2/3 full, to 180C or until a piece of bread browns in 20 seconds. Fry the aubergine until golden, about 3 minutes. Drain well on kitchen paper.
step 4
Coat the fried aubergine generously in the den miso, put onto a lined baking tray and bake in the oven for 2-4 minutes until the den miso caramelises – keep your eye on it as the sugar will burn quite easily. Drain it again on kitchen paper before putting it on a serving plate. Scatter with chopped walnuts, sesame seeds, and a pinch of sansho pepper. Serve with the mooli and lemon.