Recipe
Refreshing Eggplant and Tomato Marinade! Packed with Summer Herbs (Myoga & Shiso)! No-Cook & Perfect for Meal Prep
Ingredients
- 6cherry tomatoes
- 1/8onion
- 2myoga ginger buds
- 3-4shiso (perilla) leaves
- 2eggplants
- 1/3tsp salt (for prep)
- 2-3tbsp olive oil
- 1/3tsp salt (for marinade)
- 2tsp sugar
- 2tbsp vinegar
- Apinch of soy sauce
- Apinch of coarsely ground black pepper
About "Eggplant and Tomato Marinade"
This is a no-cook eggplant and tomato marinade. By baking the eggplant in a toaster oven to remove excess moisture and concentrate its flavor, it absorbs the marinade quickly while still hot. Featuring refreshing summer herbs like myoga ginger and shiso (perilla leaves) along with the acidity of tomatoes, this versatile side dish pairs perfectly with both rice and bread.
Introduction to Koh Kentetsu Kitchen【料理研究家コウケンテツ公式チャンネル】 →
Video Timestamps
Tips for Making "Eggplant and Tomato Marinade"
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Prep
- After slicing the eggplant, sprinkle with salt and let sit for 4-5 minutes, then pat dry thoroughly with a paper towel. Removing excess moisture concentrates the flavor and vastly improves the texture.
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Heat control
- Bake in a toaster oven at 200°C (or standard setting) for about 10 minutes to dry out the eggplant. The key is to bake them with the mindset of making semi-dried vegetables.
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Seasoning
- Balance the salt and sugar in the marinade, and add a splash of soy sauce to enhance the pairing with Japanese herbs. Toss the eggplant in while hot so it absorbs the liquid like a sponge.
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Finishing
- Add the tomatoes, myoga, and shiso, toss gently, and chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes to let the flavors meld.
Ingredients for "Eggplant and Tomato Marinade"
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How to Make "Eggplant and Tomato Marinade"
- 1
Remove the stems from 6 cherry tomatoes, wash them well, and cut them into quarters.
- 2
Finely chop 1/8 onion. If you are concerned about the sharpness, soak it in water or expose it to air.
- 3
Thinly slice 2 myoga ginger buds.
- 4
Cut off the stems of 3-4 shiso leaves and roughly tear them by hand.
- 5
Cut off the hard parts of the stems from 2 eggplants, being careful of any thorns.
- 6
Slice the eggplants into rounds about 5mm thick. If you are concerned about bitterness, soak them in water for about 5 minutes.
- 7
Arrange the eggplant slices on a flat tray and sprinkle 1/3 tsp of salt over the surface, rubbing it in gently.
- 8
Flip the eggplant slices over and sprinkle salt on the other side as well.
- 9
Let them sit for 4-5 minutes until moisture beads on the surface, then pat dry with a paper towel to remove the moisture.
- 10
Arrange the eggplant slices on the toaster oven rack, overlapping any small pieces that might fall through.
- 11
Set the toaster oven to 200°C (or normal setting if temperature cannot be adjusted) and bake for about 10 minutes to thoroughly dry them out.
- 12
In a bowl, combine 2-3 tbsp olive oil, 1/3 tsp salt, 2 tsp sugar, and 2 tbsp vinegar.
- 13
Add a pinch of soy sauce and mix well until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved.
- 14
Add the finely chopped onion to the marinade and mix.
- 15
Add the freshly baked eggplant to the bowl of marinade while it is still hot.
- 16
Gently mix to coat the eggplant thoroughly with the marinade.
- 17
Add the cherry tomatoes, myoga, and shiso.
- 18
Toss everything together gently.
- 19
Taste and adjust with salt or soy sauce if needed.
- 20
Sprinkle with a pinch of coarsely ground black pepper.
- 21
Chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes before serving.
Food Science
Salting the eggplant to draw out moisture and then baking it in a toaster oven removes excess water and raw grassy notes, making it easier for the marinade to penetrate. Additionally, combining the umami from the tomatoes' glutamic acid with the acidity of vinegar, the sweetness of sugar, and the saltiness of salt and soy sauce balances the five basic tastes, resulting in a refreshing yet deeply flavorful dish.
Detailed Commentary on "Eggplant and Tomato Marinade"
* Content organized by topics from the video.
The Perfect Summer Eggplant Side Dish
Hello, I'm culinary researcher Koh Kentetsu. Today, I'm bringing you another installment of our popular side dish series, 'Serve This Alongside,' designed to brighten up your meals. Our star ingredients today are delicious summer eggplants and tomatoes. Using these two as our main ingredients, we'll make a highly versatile side dish: Eggplant and Tomato Marinade. The best part about this recipe is that it's incredibly delicious yet requires no cooking over fire, making it extremely healthy. It's perfect for those hot summer days when you don't want to turn on the stove, and it also makes an excellent make-ahead meal prep dish. Let's get started on this refreshing, herb-packed marinade that is absolutely perfect for summer!
Prepping the Herbs and Tomatoes
Let's start by cutting the ingredients. Take 6 cherry tomatoes, remove the stems, wash them well, and cut them into quarters. Next, finely chop 1/8 of an onion. The crisp texture of this onion adds a wonderful accent to the marinade. If you're worried about the sharp bite of raw onion, feel free to soak it in water or let it sit out in the air to mellow it. Next, we'll thinly slice 2 myoga ginger buds, a classic Japanese summer herb. The unique aroma of myoga is another key accent that ties the whole dish together. Finally, cut the stems off 3 to 4 shiso leaves and roughly tear them by hand. Tearing them by hand releases their fragrance much better, adding a wonderfully refreshing aroma to the marinade.
The Secret to Prepping Eggplant
Now, let's prep our main ingredient: 2 eggplants. Cut off the hard parts of the stems, being careful of any thorns. Then, slice them into rounds about 5mm thick. If you're concerned about bitterness, soak them in water for about 5 minutes before cooking. Arrange the sliced eggplant on a flat tray, sprinkle 1/3 tsp of salt over the surface, and rub it in. Flip them over and do the same to the other side. Let them sit like this for 4 to 5 minutes, and you'll see glistening beads of moisture rise to the surface. Use a paper towel to firmly press and remove this excess moisture. Taking this extra step concentrates the eggplant's natural umami and drastically improves its texture once cooked.
Toasting Like Sun-Dried Veggies
The key technique today is cooking the eggplant in a toaster oven. Eggplant pairs beautifully with oil, so it's often deep-fried or sautéed in plenty of oil. However, today we are baking it in a toaster oven without any oil. This keeps it healthy while bringing out a unique texture and delicious flavor. Rather than aiming for a deep golden-brown color, think of it as making 'semi-dried vegetables' to concentrate the umami. Arrange the eggplant slices on the toaster oven rack, overlapping any small pieces so they don't fall through. If your toaster oven has temperature controls, set it to 200°C (about 400°F). Otherwise, use the standard setting and bake for about 10 minutes to thoroughly dry them out.
A Flavor-Boosting Marinade
While the eggplant is baking, let's make our delicious marinade. In a bowl, combine 2 to 3 tbsp of olive oil, 1/3 tsp of salt, 2 tsp of sugar, and 2 tbsp of vinegar. Since we are using plenty of vinegar, adding sugar is crucial to balance the acidity and add depth. Now, for my special touch: add just a pinch of soy sauce for aroma. This tiny splash of soy sauce dramatically improves the compatibility with our Japanese herbs. Add the chopped onion we prepared earlier, and mix everything thoroughly until the sugar and salt are completely dissolved. Once the onion blends into the marinade, releasing its crisp texture and flavor, our base is complete.
Absorbing Flavor While Hot
Once baked, the eggplant will have lost its excess moisture, concentrating its rich flavor. Transfer this eggplant while it's still hot directly into the bowl of marinade. Because the hot eggplant has been dehydrated, it acts like a sponge, rapidly soaking up the marinade. This is the ultimate secret to infusing flavor in a short amount of time. Gently mix to coat the eggplant, then add the remaining ingredients: cherry tomatoes, myoga, and shiso. You could easily adapt this to an Italian style by adding your favorite herbs, but today we are keeping it Japanese-style. Toss everything together gently, taste, and adjust with salt or soy sauce if needed. Finish with a pinch of coarsely ground black pepper. Letting it chill in the refrigerator for about 30 minutes will allow the flavors to meld even more.
Melty Texture & Versatile Uses
Beautifully arrange the finished marinade in a glass dish, and it's time to eat! One bite, and you'll be amazed by the incredible texture of the toasted eggplant. While the skin retains a pleasant, slight bite, the flesh inside has soaked up the marinade to become wonderfully tender and melty—it's absolutely divine. Since we used almost no oil, it's incredibly light and healthy, yet you get the full, rich flavor of the eggplant. The acidity of the tomatoes and the refreshing aromas of the myoga and shiso provide the perfect support. This marinade is not only a great side dish for rice, but it's also incredibly versatile—try it on bread or baguettes, or toss it with somen noodles or pasta. Please give it a try at home!
About Koh Kentetsu Kitchen【料理研究家コウケンテツ公式チャンネル】
Koh Kentetsu Kitchen【料理研究家コウケンテツ公式チャンネル】
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