Braised Aubergine with Saltbush Recipe
Ingredients:
- 2 medium-sized (approximately 300g each) Aubergine
- 2 tablespoons of white miso paste
- 1 tablespoon of gluten-free soy sauce (or tamari)
- 2 tablespoons of mirin
- 1/2 teaspoon of sesame oil
- 1 teaspoon of saltbush
- 2 teaspoons of brown sugar
- A 2cm piece of fresh ginger, peeled and finely grated
- 1 tablespoon of vegetable oil
- 1 teaspoon of toasted sesame seeds
Optional: a sprinkle of lemon zest and chopped shallots
Instructions:
Cut each aubergine in half lengthways. Score each cut side in a criss-cross pattern to allow the flavors to penetrate.
In a small bowl, combine the white miso paste, soy sauce (or tamari), mirin, sesame oil, sugar, grated ginger, and 1/3 cup of water. Stir this mixture until it becomes smooth and well blended.
Steam Aubergine for 5 minutes. Heat up the vegetable oil in a large pan over medium-high heat. Place the eggplant halves cut-side down in the hot pan and cook for approximately 5 minutes or until they achieve a beautiful golden color. Flip them over and fry the other side to perfection.
Now, it's time to introduce our unique ingredient, saltbush. Add the miso mixture to the pan and reduce the heat to low. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 10-12 minutes, making sure to turn the aubergine halves halfway through the cooking process. Your aim is to have wonderfully tender aubergine soaking up those delicious flavors.
Remove the aubergine from the sauce and arrange them on your serving plate.
Drizzle the remaining sauce over the aubergine, and sprinkle the dish with saltbush and toasted sesame seeds for an added layer of texture and taste.
For an optional extra burst of flavor, consider adding a sprinkle of lemon zest and some finely chopped shallots.
