Nasu no Agebitashi (Fried Eggplant in Dashi Broth)

Method9 steps

1. 1

   Step 1: Combine the 100 ml ready dashi stock, 1 tbsp soy sauce, 1 tbsp mirin, ¼ tsp sugar and sliced dried chili in a small saucepan. Bring to a boil over medium heat. Once boiling, let it bubble for 1 minute, then take the pan off the heat and leave the broth to cool while preparing the vegetables.

   Boil the seasoned dashi · 1 minUses 100 ml ready dashi stock made with kombu and bonito · 1 tbsp Japanese soy sauce (koikuchi shoyu) · 1 tbsp mirin · ¼ tsp sugar · 1 dried red chili pepper, deseeded and thinly sliced

   
2. 2

   Step 2: Wash the two eggplants and, if using them, the six shishito peppers. Drain and dry the vegetables thoroughly. Remove the eggplant stems and halve the eggplants lengthways. Make shallow diagonal cuts across the skin, about ½ cm apart, without cutting through the flesh.

   Uses 2 medium eggplants · Six shishito peppers, only if using the optional addition · Water, as needed to wash the eggplants and optional shishito peppers

   
3. 3

   Step 3: Cut the scored eggplant halves into pieces slightly larger than a bite: halve small eggplants crossways, or cut longer ones into thirds or quarters. Keep the skin on each piece, and make sure the eggplant and optional peppers are dry before frying.

   Uses Scored eggplant halves · Washed and dried optional shishito peppers

   
4. 4

   Step 4: Heat enough cooking oil for deep frying to 170°C/338°F. Carefully lower a batch of prepared eggplant into the oil, skin side down, without overcrowding. Fry the first side for about 1 minute, watching the oil temperature and keeping the remaining pieces ready for later batches.

   Fry the eggplant first side · 1 minUses Cooking oil, enough for deep frying · Prepared eggplant pieces for the first batch

5. 5

   Step 5: Turn the eggplant batch over and fry for about 1 minute on the other side, until softened. If using the six shishito peppers, fry them for about 1 minute, alongside the final eggplant batch if there is space or separately. Lift out the cooked vegetables. Repeat both 1-minute sides with the remaining eggplant pieces, keeping the oil around 170°C and checking that the flesh is tender.

   Fry the eggplant second side · 1 minUses Eggplant batch after its first side, with the heated frying oil · Remaining prepared eggplant pieces for later batches · Six prepared optional shishito peppers

   
6. 6

   Step 6: After all batches are fried, lift the cooked eggplant and any shishito peppers into a heatproof colander over a large heatproof bowl or sink. Carefully pour freshly boiled water over the vegetables to rinse away excess surface oil, then drain well. Keep the unused frying oil and discarded rinse liquid out of the broth.

   Uses Fried eggplant and optional peppers, lifted from the frying bath · Freshly boiled water, as needed to rinse excess oil from the fried vegetables

   
7. 7

   Step 7: Put the drained fried vegetables into the prepared broth from step 1, using a snug container so the vegetables are submerged. Let the mixture cool briefly, then cover and refrigerate promptly. Chill for at least 30 minutes before serving, until cold and the vegetables have absorbed the seasoned broth.

   Chill the agebitashi · 30 minUses Rinsed and drained fried vegetables · Prepared seasoned dashi broth

   
8. 8

   Step 8: Serve the chilled eggplant and optional peppers in two bowls with some of their soaking broth. Add the 1 tbsp grated daikon, divided between the bowls, and the optional chopped green onions. If desired, finish with sliced shiso leaves and bonito flakes.

   Uses Chilled eggplant, optional peppers and serving broth · 1 tbsp grated daikon radish · Finely chopped green onions, optional garnish · Sliced shiso leaves, optional garnish · Bonito flakes, optional garnish

   
9. 9

   Step 9: Serve cold as a side dish. Keep any remaining vegetables and broth covered in the refrigerator and eat within 3 days; there is no need to reheat this chilled dish.

   Uses Finished chilled agebitashi servings