Fish Sauce-Simmered Eggplant (Nasu No Kaiyaki)
- 6 Japanese eggplants, about 1 1/3 pounds (600 grams)
- one 4-inch/10-centimeter square konbu
- 3 tablespoons Japanese fish sauce
- 2 tablespoons sake
- Zest of 1 yuzu or 1/2 Meyer lemon, slivered
- Slice the eggplants down the middle lengthwise and cut crosswise on the diagonal into 5/16-inch (7-millimeter) pieces. Discard the tip ends. Soak the eggplant pieces in a bowl of cold water to remove the bitterness while you prepare the simmering water and six small bowls.
- In a medium pot over medium-high heat, bring the konbu and 2 cups water to a simmer. Flavor the broth with the fish sauce and sake and simmer for 1 minute. Working in batches (a total of 3), throw in a large handful of eggplant and a pinch of slivered yuzu peel. As soon as the water comes back to a rollicking boil, skim out the eggplant and yuzu slivers into each of the prepared bowls and ladle in a tiny bit of the broth. The eggplant should be half raw and pleasantly springy. The broth should have a faint whiff of the sea. Give each person a pair of chopsticks and serve hot as a quick afternoon pick-me-up snack. Cook more as you go.
eggplants, square konbu, sake, yuzu
Taken from food52.com/recipes/36515-fish-sauce-simmered-eggplant-nasu-no-kaiyaki (may not work)