Aubergine In Sesame And Bean Sauce (Japanese)
Submitted by brianjwood on March 15, 2003 at 8:05 am

DESCRIPTION
Aubergine In Sesame & Bean Sauce (Japanese)

SUMMARY
Yield 0 File under Family / Ethnic / Regional

INSTRUCTIONS
NASU NO RIKYU-NI
(Aubergine in Sesame and Bean Sauce)
THIS LIGHT, DELICIOUS aubergine dish owes its special quality to a combination of sesame and miso. It is named after Sen no RikyU,
perhaps the most famous of all the masters of the tea ceremony,
who explored the use of sesame in tea-ceremony cuisine. This dish
embodies all the restraint and elegance of tea-taste cooking.

Preparation

Peel the aubergine, remove the stem, and quarter. Cut the
aubergine into cubes (about 1/2in/l.2cm). Put a little vegetable oil into a frying pan and saute the aubergine cubes over a medium-high heat, until they are translucent. Add the dashi (bonito stock) and simmer over a very low heat for 5 minutes, using a close fit lid.
In another pan, combine the miso, sake, and sugar, and heat until
the sugar dissolves, stirring occasionally. Add this thick sauce to the simmered aubergine and cook over a low heat for 2 more
minutes.
Dry-roast the sesame seeds in a small pan. Allow them to become
golden, but be careful not to overcook them. When they have been
toasted, remove them to a suribachi or mortar, and grind them
lightly, releasing their flavour. Stir about three-quarters of the seeds into the simmering aubergine mixture. Then remove the
mixture from the heat.
Garnish the aubergine with the remaining sesame seeds and
serve warm or at room temperature.