Yaki-nasu and Yaki-bitashi (焼きなす と 焼きびたし)
Japan
Traditional Japanese vegetable appetizers: fragrant eggplants grilled over an open flame until lightly charred, and tender vegetables slowly simmered in a light dashi broth with soy sauce and a hint of sweetness. The dish is served as two separate components that can be combined to taste.
Ingredients
- 5 pcs eggplant
- 10 g ginger
- to taste soy sauce
- 4 pcs shishito pepper
- 80 g pumpkin
- 150 ml dashi broth
- 1 tsp sugar
- to taste vegetable oil
Steps
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Wash and dry the eggplants.
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Heat a grill grate over an open flame, place the eggplants and grill until the skin chars, turning periodically so they brown on all sides.
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Transfer the hot eggplants to a bowl of water and peel off the charred skin by hand.
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Remove the stems, cut the eggplants into small pieces and arrange them on a plate, resembling the eggplant with its stem.
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Peel the ginger and grate it into fine shreds.
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Drizzle the eggplants with soy sauce and serve with grated ginger.
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After removing the stem, slice one eggplant into 1 cm thick rounds.
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Cook the shishito peppers whole; if they are large, remove the seeds.
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Peel the pumpkin, cut it lengthwise into 1 cm slices, then into pieces 7‑8 cm long.
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Pour vegetable oil into a pan and heat it.
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Place all the vegetables in a single layer, cover with a lid and simmer over low heat, turning once, until they become tender.
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In a separate container, mix the dashi broth, soy sauce and sugar.
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Pour the resulting broth onto a wide plate or tray and place the hot simmered vegetables there.