Name: Smoky miso aubergines
Total time: 40 min
Yield: Serves 6-8
Ingredients: 30ml sake; 30ml mirin; 70g white miso paste; 25g golden caster sugar; 14 baby aubergines; sesame oil; 1 asian white radish (mooli); 1 tbsp caster sugar; 5 tbsp rice vinegar; toasted sesame seeds; finely chopped spring onions; steamed rice

30ml sake
30ml mirin
70g white miso paste
25g golden caster sugar
14 baby aubergines

PICKLED MOOLI

sesame oil
1 asian white radish (mooli)
1 tbsp caster sugar
5 tbsp rice vinegar

TO SERVE

toasted sesame seeds
finely chopped spring onions
steamed rice

Method

step 1
To make the pickle, peel the mooli and put through a spiralizer or shave into thin strips using a vegetable peeler. Mix the 1 tbsp sugar and vinegar with 3 tbsp water and stir until the sugar has dissolved. Add the mooli, cover and chill.
step 2
Heat the barbecue or a grill to medium-high. Mix the sake, mirin, miso and sugar in a bowl. Halve the aubergines lengthways and score the flesh on the diagonal, at about 2cm intervals. Brush the aubergines with sesame oil and season with a little salt. Grill for 2-4 minutes, until starting to turn golden and soften. Brush all over with the miso paste. Grill again for another 15 minutes. Keep turning the aubergines every few minutes to stop the sugar from catching, brushing with more of the miso paste when you turn them. The aubergine should be very soft all the way through and coated with the sticky glaze, which is just starting to catch at the edges and turn golden brown.
step 3
Serve with sesame seeds and spring onions scattered over, the pickled mooli and some steamed rice on the side.