Eggplant article and eggplant-beef-miso recipe in The Japan Times

A new article and recipe by yours truly is now available on The Japan Times web site, as well as in its print edition if you're in Japan. The subject this time is eggplants (aubergines). It also includes a recipe of course! The recipe combines delicious fall eggplants with a miso-meat sauce or sorts.

Incidentally, although the original recipe calls for thinly sliced beef, it works well with ground beef too. This is a shot of a version I made using ground beef.

nikumisonasu-alt.jpg

This dish is great hot or cold, so make some for dinner and save a little for your bento the next day. Really yum!

Submitted by maki on 2010-09-24 20:36.
Filed under:  japanese japan washoku in the media writing elsewhere japan times

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Comments

Tami

27 September, 2010 - 21:16

What cut of beef do you recommend if you aren't using ground beef?

thanks!

maki

27 September, 2010 - 23:17

Any kind of thinly cut, fairly tender (quick-cooking) beef is fine. I used some 'grilling beef' which I believe is sirloin offcuts. If you're in the U.S. you can use thinly cute beef for cheese steaks; Trader Joe's sells some thinly sliced offcuts (I can't remember the name they give them) which are very well priced. In Japan use '薄切り牛肉'.

anon.

28 September, 2010 - 06:38

Maki, thank you for such wonderful writing and recipes. Can't wait to get your book!
For this dish, do you think it would freeze well?
Thanks!

maki

28 September, 2010 - 11:48

It should freeze ok, though the eggplants may get rather mushy or watery. It might be better to make the miso-meat sauce part, freeze that, and combine it with freshly cooked eggplant (though of course that isn't as convenient ^_^)

Sharon

28 September, 2010 - 06:52

We just happened to have most of the ingredients at home tonight and made this. REALLY great, I'm so excited to eat the lefts for lunch tomorrow. Only had white Miso, and a little light on onions so we added a few bits of red onion. Thanks for linking. :)

Kitty

28 September, 2010 - 21:36

I just made this this afternoon with ground beef and it was absolutely delicious.

I was wondering, your article said it would be fine the next day for bento, but I have a few other leftovers I need to use up for tomorrow's lunch. How long do you suppose this will keep in the refrigerator?

maki

29 September, 2010 - 00:04

Hi Kitty, it should keep for a couple of days well covered. It's even more delicious the next day because the flavors will have mingled nicely.

Thomas

30 September, 2010 - 08:35

Hey
Wanted to thank you for this great recipe. Made it last night as a rice topping. I don't soak my aubergines as I find the varieties available here are not bitter - just sliced and lightly salted to reduce oil intake. It was so delicious that there was nothing left to try cold! Definitely one to keep and repeat :)

kanaloanui

6 October, 2010 - 20:55

Delicious! I particularly appreciate how you introduced the negimiso first, so that when I made this dish, I was already familiar with half the recipe. =)

Dani

15 October, 2010 - 20:41

Thanks for this fantastic recipe! Just made it and it turned out great! Normally I don't really like eggplants, but with the miso sauce and some ground beef it is absolutely wonderful. Reminded me a little bit of the "Eggplant with dengaku sauce" you posted a little while ago :)

Dani

anon.

17 October, 2010 - 14:56

Great Write up

Joana

3 November, 2010 - 22:09

I loved your article and recipe Maki!!thanks a lot!!my japanese mother in law used to cook something similar just for me (she never liked aubergines,neither did her husband nor her son) she would cut the aubergines in slices and put small amounts of ground beef+miso in each slice.When i found out i was pregnant with our first son,my husband happened to get a job in London where my parents in law lived at that moment.we moved with them and...i totally understand what you meant in your article with "Even with a new "wife" in the house, it would be the mother-in-law who continued to rule the household — and the kitchen would remain her domain" I did feel terrified of her several times (however,she did cook aubergines for me haha)and it was really hard to understand and accept her very traditional ways,thankfully we moved out after a couple of months,and they ended up leaving UK and going back to Japan.One good thing about living with her was how much i got to learn about japanese homecooking,your article again,reminded me of kuri-kinton when you mentioned fall is time of kuri.Now we live in Hong Kong and the supply of japanese products (i shop almost everyday in Jusco or Sogo supermarkets) is incredible!!Kind Regards, Joana

Miche

29 January, 2014 - 03:14

I have literally made this dish more times than I can count. It's something I look forward to whenever I can get a hold of Japanese or Chinese eggplants!