Yaki-nasu (grilled eggplant) has become one of my favorite summer dishes. It is easy to prepare, refreshing and keeps in the fridge for awhile. Japanese eggplant is preferred for this dish because they are smaller and sweeter, but you can use Chinese eggplant or smaller Western eggplant as well. Grilled eggplant with katsuobushi and grated ginger is perfect on a hot summer day.
When choosing nasu (eggplant), make sure the skin is uniformly dark and shiny and that the stem is deep purple, matching the skin. I was never a big fan of eggplant growing up, mostly in part due to the bitterness and preperation. The only dish my mom ever made with eggplant was eggplant parmesan, a meal specifically designed to mask the flavor and texture of the overcooked, bitter vegetable. Eggplant deserves more! With that, let’s get right into the recipe.
What you need
- Special Equipment
- A range-top grill or portable grill (haven’t tried it on a George Foreman yet…)
- A big mixing bowl full of cold water and ice cubes
- Ingredients
- 3 Japanese eggplants
- 1/2 in knob of fresh ginger, grated
- 3 Tbsp katsuobushi
What to do
Step 1 – Prepare a mixing bowl with cold water and ice cubes. Heat up your grill. Make a cut around the eggplant about 1/2 from the stem, scoring all the way around.
Step 2 – Place eggplants on the grill, slowly turning and rotating back and forth.
Step 3 – Continue to rotate the eggplant, evenly roasting until the skin begins to blister all over and you feel the flesh underneath get soft.
Step 4 – When they are all blistery and soft (check softness with a chopstick), immediately remove from heat and plunge them into the ice water. Quickly peel them while in the ice bath, starting from the incision you made earlier. Cut off the stems and let them cool completely.
Step 4 – Cut into chunks and serve with the grated ginger. Crush the katsuobushi and sprinkle it over the top.
Variations
The condiments can be exchanged out for a variety of toppings to match differing palates and meals. Try cracked black pepper and extra virgin olive oil, shoyu, ponzu, shichimi, sansho or a tiny bit of yuzu kosho as a topping. The simple flavor of grilled eggplant lends itself to a wide variety of cultures and cuisines. It also makes a great bento item, of course, as it keeps well and doesn’t require re-heating.
If you try out this recipe, please let me know in the comments! I’d love to hear about any variations on nasu that you happen to come up with. Enjoy!
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