"Soft, creamy eggplant baked in a sweet and savory miso sauce. This nasu dengaku is a classic Japanese side dish made with just 6 ingredients!"
Japanese Miso Eggplant (Nasu Dengaku)
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Recipe Intro From ellielikescooking
This Japanese-style eggplant can be made in an air fryer or roasted in the oven until deeply caramelized. Brush with a rich sauce made from miso, sake, and a little sugar before returning to the oven to help bloom the flavors and create an umami-packed dish that is sure to become your new favorite side dish. This recipe is part of our Special Edition Meal Planner dedicated to celebrating Asian American and Pacific Islander Heritage Month.
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Prep time 5mins
Cook time 25mins
Serves or Makes: 2
Recipe Card
ingredients
- 1 globe eggplant
- 2 tablespoons oil
- 2 tablespoons sake
- 2 tablespoons mirin
- 1 tablespoon sugar
- 3 tablespoons red miso (gluten-free if necessary)
Method
Step 1
Preheat air fryer to 375°F or oven to 425°F.
Step 2
Cut eggplant in half, then cut slits in a crosswise pattern across the surface. Do not cut all the way through the eggplant.
Step 3
Brush oil onto the surface of each eggplant half.
Step 4
Place eggplants in air fryer basket or on a baking sheet for the oven.
Step 5
Cook until soft and tender, 15-20 minutes in the air fryer or 30-40 minutes in the oven.
Step 6
While eggplant is cooking, make the miso sauce. Combine sake, mirin, sugar, and miso in a saucepan and heat over medium low. Bring to a simmer, stirring frequently, and simmer until sauce thickens and the alcohol flavor cooks off, about 3 minutes.
Step 7
When eggplant is soft, brush miso sauce on top, ensuring the sauce seeps into the slits on the eggplant (you may not need all the sauce). Air fry/bake another 1-2 minutes until slightly charred to your liking (be careful not to burn the miso completely).
Step 8
Store any remaining sauce in a covered container in the fridge (lasts about a month in the fridge).