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Nasu no Agebitashi (Fried Eggplant in Dashi)
Serves 2 · About 25 min
Eggplant shallow-fried in plenty of oil and soaked in dashi and soy sauce. Good warm or chilled.
① Make the soaking sauce→② Cut the eggplant→③ Heat the oil→④ Shallow-fry the eggplant→⑤ Soak in the sauce
What to buy
Vegetables
Seasonings
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How to make it
1
Make the soaking sauce
- Put 150 ml water, 1/2 tsp dashi granules, 2 tbsp soy sauce and 2 tbsp mirin in a small pot
- Set over medium heat and turn off the heat when it starts to bubble
- Add 1/2 tsp ginger, mix, and pour into a flat dish (a tray or deep plate)
How to tell it's doneThe sauce is in the dish, and the ginger is mixed in.
2
Cut the eggplant
- On the cutting board, cut off the eggplant stems and cut the eggplants in half lengthwise
- On the skin side, make shallow slanted cuts 5 mm apart with a knife (2–3 mm deep)
- Cut each piece in half crosswise (12 pieces in total)
- Pat dry well with paper towels
How to tell it's doneThe surface of all 12 eggplant pieces is dry.
Be carefulIf water is left, the oil splatters a lot when you add them.
3
Heat the oil
- Pour vegetable oil 1 cm deep (about 200 ml) into a frying pan and put over medium heat
- Check the oil temperature: put the tip of dry cooking chopsticks in the oil. If small bubbles keep fizzing from the tip, it's about 170°C. If there are almost no bubbles, it's not hot enough yet. If big bubbles rush out hard, it's too hot, so turn the heat down
How to tell it's doneSmall bubbles keep fizzing from the tip of the chopsticks.
Be carefulOil may splatter. Do not leave while frying. Turn off the heat as soon as you're done, and clean up the oil only after it has cooled completely.
4
Shallow-fry the eggplant
- Gently lay the eggplant in skin side down, starting from the near side. If they do not all fit, cook in 2 batches
- After 2 min, turn them over and cook 2 min more
- Put them on a rack or paper towels to drain the oil
How to tell it's doneA bamboo skewer (or chopstick) slides in easily, and the flesh is soft all over. The skin is dark purple and shiny.
Be carefulOil may splatter. Do not leave while frying. Turn off the heat as soon as you're done, and clean up the oil only after it has cooled completely.
5
Soak in the sauce while hot
- Turn off the heat. Put the fried eggplant while still hot into the sauce from step 1 and spoon the sauce over the top
- Let sit 10 min so the flavor soaks in (to chill it, let it cool, cover with plastic wrap and put in the fridge. Eat within about 2 days)
- On the cutting board, slice the green onions into thin rounds 2 mm wide and put them on the plated eggplant
ReadyThe cut sides of the eggplant have taken on the color of the sauce. Serve in a dish with the sauce.
📚 Learn more about this dish
🥬 Ingredient guide
🔪 Cutting & cooking tips
If it didn't work out
OilyThe oil was not hot enough. Next time, check the bubbles in step 3 before adding. Drain the oil well after frying.
The eggplant is hardIt did not fry long enough. Keep going 1 min at a time until a bamboo skewer slides in easily.
The flavor is weakIt did not soak long enough. Let sit 5–10 more min. If it is still too mild, add 1 tsp soy sauce.
The oil splattered a lotWater was left on the eggplant in step 2. Next time, pat it dry well with paper towels.
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