Eggplant Agebitashi

Ever since watching the fabulous serie ‘The makanai: Cooking for the Maiko House’ which I absolutely adored, I was in love with this dish. Next to Agedashi Tofu, it became one of my Japanese favorites. The eggplants are thinly sliced, then deep fried and then soaked in a sauce made with dashi, soy sauce, mirin and sake. You can top it with some grated radish and ginger, bonito flakes (and spring onions, which I didn’t) and serve it with rice.

Eggplant Agebitashi

for 4 persons

2 Eggplants or 4 thin and long ones
vegetable oil for frying
1 scallion
1 Tbsp grated white radish or red radish
1 tsp grated fresh ginger

for the sauce

200ml dashi (you can make it yourself with kombo and bonito or just use an instant dash which works well too)
3 Tblsp soy sauce
3 Tblsp mirin
3 Tblsp sake

Cut the eggplants in half, then lightly score them on the skin side (about every 3mm) without cutting through. Cut each half in about 5-6 pieces.

Heat a pot with the frying oil to 160°C and fry them in batches. Take them out with a slotted spoon or spider and place them on a grid so any access oil can drip off. Once they are cooled down a bit, place them in a container one by one, next to each other.

For the sauce, heat all ingredients until simmering. Poor over the fried eggplants and let them marinate for at least 10 minutes.

To serve the Agebitashi, place some of the eggplants and sauce in a bowl, grate some fresh ginger and radish on top. Sprinkle with thinly sliced scallions and some bonito flakes. I like to serve it with rice.