Eggplant Nanban pickles with Tosakanori
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Enjoy the delicious eggplant, starring alongside Tosakanori's vibrant colors of purple and red, making it visually stunning and delightful to the palate.
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Ingredients:
- Tosakanori (pre-soaked and salted) 30g/9g
- Eggplant (cut vertically in half and scored on both sides) 3 pieces
- Potato starch (approx. 20g)
- Ginger (peeled and thinly sliced, lightly rinsed) 3-5g
■A
- Mirin, soy sauce, vinegar - each 3 tbsp
- Tensai sugar (or your preferred sugar) - 1 tbsp
- Water - 3 tbsp
■B
- Salad oil (for frying) - 1 tbsp
- Sesame oil (for frying) - 1 tbsp
How to:
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Salted Tosakanori seaweed should be rinsed twice with water to remove salt. After that, soaked in water for about 3 minutes to remove the excess salt.
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For Dried Tosakanori seaweed, soak it in water for 4 minutes to rehydrate.
- ※ When soaking in saltwater, make sure to thoroughly rinse off any debris or foreign objects that may have gotten inside. If there are any discolored parts, it's best to remove them.
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In a small saucepan, heat mirin over medium heat until the alcohol evaporates (be cautious as it may flame up). Once settled, add remaining A ingredients and bring to a boil.
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Place eggplant in a shallow dish or plate, pour 4 over it, and let it cool. For quicker cooling, you can use a bowl or container and cool it rapidly with ice water.
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Wash eggplant after soaking it in water for about 5 minutes to remove bitterness, then pat dry thoroughly with kitchen paper. Drain ginger in a sieve to remove excess water.
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Heat B in a frying pan over medium heat. Coat the dried eggplant with potato starch, place skin-side down, and cook for about 4 minutes on each side until golden brown. Blot excess oil if desired.
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While still warm, soak the eggplant with cold A including the ginger. If you are concerned with the oiliness, lightly excess oil from the eggplant with a kitchen paper.
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Once cooled, turn the eggplant over and let it chill in the refrigerator to allow flavors to infuse. It's delicious when warm but even better as it cools!
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Serve the eggplant on a plate with a generous amount of pickling liquid and sprinkle Tosakanori on top. Enjoy the dish with its tangy pickling sauce and vibrant colors that are a feast for the eyes!
Tip: For a larger serving, place plenty of Tosakanori in the center of a large dish. This dish is perfect for hot seasons, especially when served well-chilled. Enjoy the delicious eggplant, starring alongside Tosakanori's vibrant colors of purple and red, making it visually stunning and delightful to the palate. You can also omit the potato starch for a different version, equally delicious!
