There's no denying that these bad boys are a long way off winning any beauty awards. But for pure squishy, roasted, salty, umami goodness they can't be beaten. I am a total sucker for aubergine, so if it's on a menu you can be damn sure I'll be ordering it. I'm particularly keen on 'nasu goma' - a Japanese dish where aubergines are roasted into submission, then covered with a miso glaze and sesame seeds to finish things off. It's probably no exaggeration to say that I've spent the past couple of years trying to come up with my own version. Although you might have to venture a bit deeper into your local supermarket for some of the ingredients here, they're pretty versatile, so good for the store cupboard. In my humble opinion here's the best version yet.
What's the A to V?
Aubergine is a source of potassium, vitamin B6, and good old fibre. Miso is a fermented food made from soy beans, so fairly protein-rich as well as a source of magnesium and non-heme iron. As for the sesame seeds, the more you load on the better here really, as they're a great source of calcium.
Ingredients (serves 2):
1 aubergine, sliced in half lengthways
2-3 tbsps of sesame oil (or olive oil as a plan B)
Black or white sesame seeds
For the miso glaze
2-3 tbsps of miso paste
2 tbsp mirin
1 tbsp vinegar or rice wine vinegar
1 tbsp honey
1 tsp of smooth peanut butter
3 tbsp's water
Method
Heat your oil in a pan until hot, then fry your aubergine halves for 5 minutes on each side, until the flesh is browned and soft and the skin black and glossy. Top tip - no need to continually stir the aubergine, you want a bit of smokiness here so you can be fairly hands off here while the pan does its thing. Just flip them a couple of times so that both sides are cooked.
To make your sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl and stir until smooth.
Spoon your sauce on top of your aubergine and place in the grill on 200 degrees for 10 minutes. At the ten minute mark, sprinkle your sesame seeds on top and place back in the oven for another 3-5 minutes.
Serve as a starter, or with rice and fresh tuna for a more complete meal.