Japanese Fried Eggplants and Crispy Bonito Flakes with Dashi Sauce
Eggplants are cut into rings, flash fried, cooled in ice, doused with dashi sauce and garnished with crispy bonito flakes. Great side dish or vegetarian main dish.
Ingredients
- 1 cup dashi
- 3 tablespoons mirin
- 3 tablespoons soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon grated ginger
- 2 to 3 cups cooking oil
- 4 large eggplants (the long Asian variety is best)
- 1 handful bonito flakes
Instructions
- Pour the dashi, mirin and soy sauce into a small sauce pan.
- Stir in the ginger.
- Bring to the boil.
- Turn off the heat.
- Place the sauce pan in a bowl of iced water to cool. Set aside.
- Heat the cooking oil in a wok or frying pan. The oil should be at least two inches deep.
- While the oil heats up, cut the eggplants into rings about an inch thick.
- When the oil starts to smoke, dump in the eggplants and cook over high heat just until softened but not mushy. Tip: the frying time should take about two minutes or less.
- Scoop out the eggplants and spread on a shallow bowl. Pour the cooled sauce directly over them.
- Fry the bonito flakes in the hot oil for about 10 seconds.
- Scoop out the bonito flakes and spread over the eggplants.
- Serve immediately.
Video
Notes
Adapted from a recipe on NHK Japan.
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