Deep-Fried Eggplants in Light Sauce

• 5 medium Eggplants (slim Japanese type)
• 1 Vegetable oil (for deep frying)
• 400 ml Dashi stock
• 3 tbsp Usukuchi soy sauce (or regular soy sauce if unavailable)
• 2 tbsp Mirin
• 1 tsp Sugar
• 1 Grated daikon radish
• 1 pinch Grated ginger
• 1 pinch Bonito flakes

1. Remove the stem ends of the eggplants, and cut into 3-cm thick round slices.
2. Soak in water for a while to remove the bitterness.
3. They might seem big, but they will shrink after deep-frying, so please cut into large round slices.
4. Add the dashi stock, soy sauce, mirin, and sugar into a pot, then turn on the heat.
5. When it starts to boil, wait for 1 minute, and turn off the heat.
6. Drain the Step 1 eggplants in a sieve, and completely wipe off the excess water with paper towels.
7. Deep-fry in vegetable oil at a high temperature.
8. When they become golden brown, remove from the oil.
9. Place them in the sieve, and pour on boiling water to drain off the excess oil.
10. Add the Step 3 eggplants into the Step 2 pot, and turn on the heat.
11. Bring to a boil, and turn off the heat.
12. Add the bonito flakes, and let the marinade cool down to make them absorb the flavour.
13. Serve with grated daikon radish and ginger when you are ready to serve.
14. Garnish with shiso leaves and green onions if you have them.

eggplants, vegetable oil, stock, soy sauce, mirin, sugar, radish, ginger, bonito flakes

Taken from cookpad.com/us/recipes/142572-deep-fried-eggplants-in-light-sauce (may not work)