Grilled Eggplants, Japanese-Style (Yakinasu)
This Japanese treatment for eggplants turns the spongy fruit — I thought it was a vegetable — into creamy morsels that lend itself well to the simplest of seasonings. Serving as its own cooking vessel, the purple berries are grilled until charred while steaming from the inside. The whole eggplants will expand and sputter as it releases steam through its pricked skin. It’s done just as it collapses into a wrinkled mass looking black as charcoal on the outside but smooth as custard on the inside.
Slice the peeled eggplants so that it resembles sashimi or eel from 10 feet away to alleviate boredom and ensue hilarity. Depending on who’s around, reactions can range from delight to disgust, culminating in either disappointment or sighs of relief once revealed that it’s just frickin’ eggplant. I know I’d think twice about having raw fish from someone’s apartment kitchen.
Weekend Herb Blogging hosted this week by Katie of Thyme for Cooking
recipe adapted from Shizuo Tsuji’s Japanese Cooking: A Simple Art
Grilled Japanese Eggplants
焼きなす (Yakinasu)
serves 2 as a side dish
2 - 3 whole Japanese eggplants (or any varietal), about 1 pound
vegetable oil
soy sauce
juice of freshly grated ginger or lemon wedges
dried bonito flakes /katsuo-bushi (optional)
Instructions:
Prepare a grill or preheat a broiler. Brush the eggplants with vegetable oil and prick the skin with a fork or skewer to allow steam to escape. Prepare a large bowl filled with cold water.
Grill or broil the eggplants for about 15 to 20 minutes, turning frequently until the eggplants are charred and slightly wrinkled.
Remove from the grill and plunge in the bowl of cold water briefly. Peel the eggplants and discard the skin.
Cut the eggplants into bite-sized pieces.
To Serve:
Serve with soy sauce with either the juice of freshly grated ginger or lemon wedges. Garnish with dried bonito flakes if desired.
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August 26th, 2008 at 3:17 am
Hilarious! I don’t see these long, skinny eggplants here. Our friend in Spain puts the fat round ones just inside his wood burning stove and lets them roast there. Similar result… But his aren’t nearly as pretty as these!
August 26th, 2008 at 7:23 am
i’ve never seen eggplant like that either! i do love the fat ones though, and i’m always looking for new ways to flavor and prepare them. thanks for sharing this recipe, and i’ll keep my eyes peeled for the skinny guys.
August 26th, 2008 at 9:15 am
“Slice the peeled eggplants so that it resembles sashimi or eel from 10 feet away to alleviate boredom and ensue hilarity.”
Most awesome cooking directions… ever!
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August 26th, 2008 at 9:21 am
[...] Ensue eggplant. August 26, 2008, 10:19 am Filed under: Apple Pie Patis & Pâté | Tags: eggplant, grillin’ and chillin’, I’m feelin’ Japanese, squashed Grilled eggplant, Japanese style. [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 9:54 am
What an interesting way to serve eggplant. I can’t get my husband to eat the black ones but he likes these little ones.
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August 26th, 2008 at 12:09 pm
oh my what a beautiful blog you have..great pictures..and very lovely entry I must say!
August 26th, 2008 at 12:18 pm
Ah, talong. My favorite is dipping them in scrambled egg and frying up… and enjoying them with some freshly steamed rice with a bit of bagoong at kamatis. Yum!
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August 26th, 2008 at 9:04 pm
[...] Grilled Japanese Eggplants from Apple Pie, Patis and Pate. [...]
August 26th, 2008 at 9:43 pm
How interesting! Were they hard to peel?
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August 26th, 2008 at 11:22 pm
Very nice. These beautiful little eggplants are popping up all over my farmers market. Lovely and easy way to prepare them for my new after school/work days.
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August 27th, 2008 at 1:07 am
Maybe this will get me out of my eggplant-funk. They do look like albino unagi. Hee!
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August 27th, 2008 at 2:08 am
hilarious! hehehe. It’s hard to find skinny eggplant here too-but the fat ones r around.. still think the skinny ones taste better.
I love your presentation in this. How cute!!
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August 27th, 2008 at 5:47 am
such a lovely and pure way to enjoy eggplant! the season is perfect for this. i’d love to know if we can make it with the regular eggplants too.
August 27th, 2008 at 5:51 am
Oh I want those japanese eggplants! We only get the fat kind here, those look so elegant!
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August 27th, 2008 at 9:43 am
Love your pics. My mum’s recipe is to steam the eggplants (we call it brinjals here in Singapore), mash it up, add soya sauce and sesame oil. Serve with a garnish of fried shallots and sliced green onions. Absolutely yummy as well.
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August 27th, 2008 at 1:29 pm
I think it looks kinda like uni. Wonder how well it would taste over sushi rice.
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August 27th, 2008 at 1:48 pm
eggplants! i love them. this is looking good!
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August 27th, 2008 at 3:32 pm
Always love grilled eggplants, I personnally thought that eegplants are best eaten grilled, with soy sauce and bonito flakes… mmmh heavenly
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August 27th, 2008 at 5:34 pm
Thank you Jude for your comments in my sweet blog. Your blog is wonderful and the recipes very, very good. You are so lolvey. The event 13 of bread is fantastic
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August 27th, 2008 at 8:02 pm
One of my favorites, charred Asian eggplants with soy sauce and lime juice. Love the bonito flakes idea.
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August 27th, 2008 at 9:59 pm
These look delicious. I see them all the time but never cook the Japanese eggplants–I might have to try this. Great photos too!
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August 28th, 2008 at 11:41 pm
These are absolutely gorgeous … excellent photography!~
August 29th, 2008 at 7:50 am
First of all, I love your dipping bowl and serving boards.
What a great way to serve eggplant, I love it!
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August 29th, 2008 at 9:41 am
Eggplants are fruit … go figure … LOL! I am always looking for new ways to do something with them and these “eelie” looking guys look pretty darn good!
Denise
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August 29th, 2008 at 7:13 pm
Great post! I actually made something very similar this week though I left the charred skin of the eggplant on. It definitely would have been better with the skin off next time. Also, i just ate it the chopped pieces with some olive oil and lemon juice. Mmm. so good.
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August 31st, 2008 at 5:34 am
[...] Grilled Eggplants, Japanese-Style (Yakinasu) | Apple Pie, Patis, and Pâté (tags: recipes japanese) [...]
September 1st, 2008 at 6:42 am
Very creative way of presentation! Simple yet elegant. I’m sure this is delicious in its simplicity!
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September 1st, 2008 at 7:45 pm
What an elegant dish! Quite a transformation from vegetable to unagi!
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September 1st, 2008 at 11:13 pm
Sounds like it would be delicious. I like the idea of the Bonito flakes a lot!
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September 2nd, 2008 at 10:29 pm
Katie - I like those fat round ones too. It’s great grilled after slicing as well.
Grace - Either one should work. I’m always looking for eggplant recipes as well.
Robin - Fun stuff
Kat - Just peel the black ones and he won’t notice
Srivalli - Thank you!
Joelen - Haven’t done tortang talong in a while. I have a recipe with ground pork.
Dragon - The eggplant skin just flaked off after grilling.
Rainbowbrown - I feel like a kid in the candy store at farmer’s markets. So many colors I get woozy.
JS - Looks kinda fishy like that.
Daphne - Didn’t think the skinny ones would be hard to find in certain places. I guess the most common one is the round type.
Meeta - Any type of eggplant would work great. Just adjust the broiling / grilling depending on the size.
Clumbsy - I need to do a side by side comparison and see if there’s a big taste difference.
Jo - Thanks! Your mom’s recipe sounds good with steamed rice.
Nate - I was going to make sushi rice for this. Maybe in another post.
Paoix - Thanks! Talong is good stuff.
Zita - Grilling makes eggplants smell so nice.
Tartasacher - Thanks for dropping by. Come check out the roundup when it’s online.
Oggi - Mmm soy and lime. Simple but always delicious.
Deb - Japanese eggplants are fun to cook with. Lots of uses.
noobcook - Thanks!
Natashya - It’s actually a contraption for pressing sushi rice
Denise - Looks funky but its custardy and unmistakably Japanese.
Cookinpanda - Sometimes I leave the skin on but I burned it too much this time. I like it when eggplants soak up olive oil.
Ning, Christine, Kalyn - Thanks! Bonito flakes can give a nice accent to most things flavored with soy sauce.