Japanese Culture in New York - Chopsticks NY

~Eggplant~

The high season for eggplants has now arrived. The eggplants consumed in Japan are small, soft, and delicate compared to those available in this country. Eggplants in Japan are less bitter and easier to cook, so they are prepared in many different ways: pickled, sautéed, fried, boiled, steamed, and grilled. An eggplant consists mostly of water and glucide with a few vitamins and minerals, but its purple skin contains an abundance of polyphenol, which lowers cholesterol and limits oxidization. Unlike other vegetables, the eggplant’s nutritional value is not reduced in cooking. Plus, it goes very well with oil, so you can increase its nutritional value by sautéing or frying it in oils containing vitamin E. This month, Misako-sensei creates Japanese-Style Ratatouille with Eggplant by using sake, mirin, and soy sauce for seasoning. With this little twist, she transforms this Mediterranean dish into one that goes perfectly with Japanese sake.

Japanese-Style Ratatouille with Eggplant

[Ingredients] (serving: 4)
—- 2 medium Japanese eggplants (baby Italian or Holland eggplants can be substituted)
—- vine-ripe tomatoes
—- 2 peppers of your choice (green, red, and or yellow)
—- 1 red onion
—- 3 cloves of garlic
—- 4–5 anchovy fillets
—- 1½–2 tbs soy sauce
—- 1½ tbs mirin
—- 1/4 cup olive oil
—- ½ cup sake
—- ¾ cup dashi or water
—- 1 tsp black pepper
—- Finely chopped scallions to garnish

[Directions]
1. Cut eggplant diagonally into ½-inch rounds.
2. Put water and salt into big bowl and place eggplant inside. Put small plate on top as weight and let eggplant soak in water for at least 20 minutes to eliminate its bitterness.
3. Drain eggplant and pat dry well with towel or paper towel.

4. Roughly chop tomatoes, peppers, and red onion.
5. Put olive oil, anchovies, and thinly sliced garlic into large pan. Turn on heat to high and let them warm up.
6. When oil starts to bubble around garlic, put in eggplants.
7. Add red onion and peppers and stir well.
8. Add tomatoes and stir well.
9. Add sake and dashi or water and let simmer until liquid reduces to half for about 20–30 minutes.

10. Add soy sauce. Taste and adjust amount of soy sauce.
11. Add mirin and black pepper and let simmer for another 3 minutes.
12. Turn off heat and place ratatouille on plate. Sprinkle with chopped scallion.