Preparation time:
- 10mins
Cooking time:
- 45mins
Specialty:
- Vegan
- Gluten-free
We tried Miso Eggplant for the first in Japan in a small izakaya in Kyoto that was serving a very traditional omakase. We loved it! It's a completely different taste compared to Italian-style eggplants and the deep-fried Chinese recipe with prawns. Here we tried to re-create the aroma we tasted in Japan, adding our take with some fresh mint and some soba noodles! This can be served as a starter or can be a quick and easy vegan lunch. If you manage to find authentic soba noodles, they are made with 100% buckwheat and gluten-free! It's absolutely delicious!
Ingredients (2 Servings):
- 1 Eggplant
- 100g Soba Noodles (100% Buckwheat)
- Sea Salt
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons of Mirin
- 1 1/2 Teaspoons of White miso (make sure it's made with rice and sea salt)
- Fresh Mint
- Sesame Seeds (optional)
- Extra-virgin Olive Oil
Instructions:
- Cut the eggplant into half lengthwise from top to bottom.
- Gently cut the inside into a grid-like diagonal pattern and sprinkle some sea salt on the top to remove the excess water. Let it rest for 5mins.
- Dry the surface of the eggplant with a paper towel and stir the eggplant in a pan with extra-virgin olive oil for 10mins. Cover with a lid and cook at medium heat on both sides.
- Pre-heat the oven at 400°F.
- Mix in a cup 1 and half teaspoons of white miso and 1 and half teaspoons of mirin.
- Put the 2 halves of the eggplant on an oven tray with the white side facing upwards and brush the white surfaces with the miso sauce. Add a pinch of salt.
- Cook the eggplant in the oven for 30-35 mins at 400°F. Make sure the sauce on top of the eggplant is caramelized.
- In the meantime, boil the water for the soba noodles and cook them. Once you drain the noodles, make sure you cool them under cold running water to stop the cooking process and prevent the noodles from sticking.
- Plate the miso eggplant with the soba noodles on top. You can drizzle some extra-virgin olive oil and sprinkle some sesame seeds and fresh mint on the top.