Eggplant Agebitashi

Nasu in Japanese means eggplant, and agebitashi means deep-fried and soaked.  The dish is composed of deep-fried eggplant soaked in light dashi and soy sauce based broth.  The eggplants absorb all the delicious flavors of the broth and this dish is simply delicious.  If you’re a fan of eggplant, I know you’re going to love this dish!

Eggplant Agebitashi

Ingredients

• 2 Japanese eggplants
• 2 cups neutral flavor oil (vegetable, canola, etc) (2 cups = 500 ml)
• 3 inch daikon (3" = 7.5 cm) (green top part for sweet taste)
• 1 green onion/scallion
• 1 inch ginger (1" = 2.5 cm)
• 1 pack katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) (1 pack = 3 g)

Sauce

• ¾ cup dashi (¾ cup = 200 ml)
• 3 Tbsp mirin (3 Tbsp = 40 ml)
• 3 Tbsp sake (3 Tbsp = 40 ml)
• 3 Tbsp gluten-free soy sauce (3 Tbsp = 40 ml) (can be regular soy sauce)
• 1 heaping Tbsp granulated sugar (1 heaping Tbsp = 15 g)

Instructions

1. Gather all the ingredients.
2. In a saucepan, combine ¾ cup (200 ml) dashi, 3 Tbsp. (40 ml) mirin, 3 Tbsp. (40 ml) sake, 3 Tbsp. (40 ml) soy sauce, and 1 heaping Tbsp. (15 g) sugar and mix it all together. Bring it to a boil and turn off the heat (keep it covered so the sauce doesn’t evaporate).
3. In a deep frying pot/saucepan, add 2 cups (500 ml) oil and bring to 320F (160C).
4. Check if the oil has reached at 320F (160C) by putting the wooden chopsticks into the oil. If you see the small bubbles coming from the chopsticks, the oil is ready.
5. While waiting for the oil, we prepare the eggplant. Usually eggplant is soaked in water to prevent discoloration. For this recipe, however, we will skip this process to prevent the oil from contacting with water. Therefore, you will cut the eggplant right before deep frying to avoid changing color. Discard the tops of the eggplant and cut in half lengthwise.
6. Make incisions on the eggplant diagonally (or cut in a crisscross pattern). Do not cut through, and the intervals should be 1/8 inch (2-3 mm).
7. Cut each eggplant into 3-4 sections. Make sure to wipe off any moisture with paper towel.
8. Gently put a few pieces of eggplant, skin facing down, and deep fry for 2 to 2.5 minutes. If you put too many pieces of (cold) eggplant in the oil, the oil temperature will decrease too fast and it gets mushy and greasy. So do not overcrowd the pot. If you realize the oil temperature is too low, take out the eggplant and wait till the oil reaches the right temperature. Remove from the oil and drain on a wire rack, skin facing up. Deep fry the next batch, until all the eggplant pieces are deep-fried.
9. When the eggplants are cooled, transfer to a rimmed container or dish. Heat up the sauce until hot and then pour the hot sauce over to soak the eggplant for several hours (at least 1 hour). If you serve this dish chilled, put it in the refrigerator.
10. While soaking, peel the skin of daikon and grate.
11. Cut green onion and grate ginger.
12. To serve, put the eggplant in a dish and sprinkle some katsuobushi. Put grated daikon and grated ginger on top. Pour the sauce over and garnish with green onion. Serve chilled or at room temperature. You can keep it in the refrigerator up to 2-3 days.

https://www.justonecookbook.com/eggplant-agebitashi/