Name: Eggplant Namerou (Japanese Tartare)
Cuisine: 和食
Ingredients: 2 eggplants; 8cm green onion; 1 myoga ginger; 5 shiso leaves; 10g ginger; 1.5 tbsp miso; 1/2 tsp soy sauce

About "Eggplant Namerou (Japanese Tartare)"

This is a namerou (Japanese tartare) made with eggplant instead of horse mackerel or Pacific saury. It is a refreshing summer appetizer packed with ginger, myoga ginger, and shiso leaves. The key is to thoroughly squeeze out the moisture from the eggplant after microwaving to prevent any off-flavors, and to mix in some coarsely chopped eggplant at the end to retain texture. Rich in miso and ginger flavors, it is the perfect dish for hot summer days.

Introduction to 夕方食堂 →

Tips for Making "Eggplant Namerou (Japanese Tartare)"

Prep
- When trimming the eggplant stems, cut closely around the base of the stem to avoid waste.
Prep
- Do not peel the eggplant skin too cleanly; leaving some skin makes the final color look much nicer.
Heating
- Transfer the soaked eggplants to a microwave-safe dish, cover with plastic wrap, and microwave at 600W for 4 to 5 minutes.
Draining
- Cut the microwaved eggplants in half lengthwise and use paper towels to firmly squeeze out the moisture using your body weight. This step is crucial to prevent any off-flavors.
Technique
- Combine the finely chopped 2/3 eggplant with the aromatics, add miso and ginger, and chop thoroughly with a knife to blend.
Technique
- When adding the 1/3 coarsely chopped eggplant, mix using the back of the knife blade to preserve its texture.
Seasoning
- Drizzle 1/2 tsp of soy sauce at the end to tie all the flavors together.
Finishing
- Finally, line a strainer with a paper towel and thoroughly drain any excess moisture once more.

Ingredients for "Eggplant Namerou (Japanese Tartare)"

7 items

* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon

2eggplants
8cmgreen onion
1myoga ginger
5shiso leaves
10gginger
1.5tbsp miso
1/2tsp soy sauce

How to Make "Eggplant Namerou (Japanese Tartare)"

1
Trim the eggplant stems by cutting closely around the base.
2
Roughly peel the eggplant skin with a peeler (leaving some skin helps maintain a beautiful color).
3
Transfer the peeled eggplants to a bowl and soak them in water.
4
Grate 10g of ginger (peel it first if it is not very fresh).
5
After soaking for 5 minutes, transfer the eggplants to a microwave-safe dish.
6
Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave at 600W for 4 to 5 minutes.
7
Let the microwaved eggplants cool down until they are safe to handle.
8
Cut the eggplants in half lengthwise.
9
Using paper towels, apply pressure with your body weight to thoroughly squeeze out the moisture from the eggplants.
10
Slice the drained eggplants lengthwise into thin strips, then chop them. Set aside 1/3 of the chopped eggplant for a coarser texture.
11
Finely chop the remaining 2/3 of the eggplant.
12
Coarsely mince 8cm of green onion.
13
Cut 1 myoga ginger in half lengthwise, slice it, and coarsely chop.
14
Roll up 5 shiso leaves and slice them thinly.
15
Combine the finely chopped 2/3 eggplant and the chopped aromatics (green onion, myoga, shiso) on a cutting board.
16
Lightly chop everything together with a knife.
17
Add 1.5 tbsp of miso and the grated ginger.
18
Chop and mix thoroughly with the knife until the mixture becomes smooth.
19
Drizzle in 1/2 tsp of soy sauce.
20
Gently fold in the reserved 1/3 coarsely chopped eggplant, mixing it with the back of the knife blade.
21
Line a strainer with a paper towel and thoroughly drain any excess moisture once more.
22
Place a shiso leaf on a plate and mound the namerou neatly on top.

Food Science

Why This Dish Tastes So Good

By thoroughly squeezing the eggplant after microwaving and draining it again at the end, this 'moisture control' prevents the seasonings from being diluted. Additionally, combining the rich 'umami components (glutamic acid)' of fermented seasonings like miso and soy sauce with the refreshing aroma and mild heat of the aromatics balances the 'five basic tastes,' resulting in a deep flavor profile with no off-flavors.

Moisture ControlUmami ComponentsBalance of Five Tastes

Detailed Commentary on "Eggplant Namerou (Japanese Tartare)"

* Content organized by topics from the video.

World Cup Chat and the Missing Zucchini

Hello, I'm Romi Yamada. The World Cup has finally started! I'm keeping myself fully prepared just in case I get called up to the national team. Today, I was planning to cook with 'Zucchini,' a midfielder and currently FIFA's most watched player... But wait, where did the zucchini go? That guy always hides. I searched the vegetable drawer of my fridge, but since I couldn't find it, I'll be using eggplant instead today. Eggplant is known for its body-cooling effects, making it the perfect ingredient for the upcoming hot season. Honestly, it's practically ice cream at this point.

Prepping Eggplant and Grating Ginger

First, let's trim the stems off the eggplants. Cutting closely around the base of the stem ensures you don't waste any of the flesh. Next, peel the skin with a peeler, but don't peel it too cleanly—leaving a bit of skin makes the final color look much nicer. Once roughly peeled, transfer them to a bowl and soak them in water for a bit. Meanwhile, grate about 10g of ginger. If it's fresh ginger you just bought, you don't need to peel it, but this ginger was rescued from the deep depths of my vegetable drawer and was quite dry, so I peeled it before grating. Now, the prep is perfect.

Microwaving and Squeezing Out Moisture

After soaking for 5 minutes, transfer the eggplants to a microwave-safe dish. Cover loosely with plastic wrap and microwave at 600W for 4 to 5 minutes. Be very careful when removing them from the microwave, as they will be extremely hot. Once they have cooled down slightly, cut them in half lengthwise. At this stage, it is crucial to thoroughly remove the moisture using paper towels. Lean your body weight into it and squeeze the water out completely. Looking at this soggy paper towel... doesn't it remind you of your bedsheets after a childhood dream? It brings back memories of drawing a grand map of the world with big dreams.

Tips for Chopping Eggplant and Aromatics

Once drained, slice the eggplant lengthwise into thin strips and then chop them. The key here is to set aside about 1/3 of it with a coarser chop. Finely chop the remaining 2/3. Next, let's prep the aromatics. Coarsely mince about 8cm of green onion. We will be chopping everything together later, so a rough chop is fine for now. Next, cut 1 myoga ginger in half lengthwise, slice it, and coarsely chop it as well. Finally, roll up 5 shiso leaves and slice them. With so many cooking videos out there, I'm probably the only one talking about bed-wetting while cooking.

Chop and Mix with Miso and Ginger

Combine the finely chopped 2/3 of the eggplant and the chopped aromatics (green onion, myoga, shiso) on the cutting board. Lightly chop everything together with a knife, then add 1.5 tbsp of miso and the grated ginger. You might think, 'Isn't that too much miso?' but trust me, it's just right. Now, chop and blend them thoroughly with your knife. While namerou is traditionally made with horse mackerel or Pacific saury, nobody ever said in school that you can't make it with eggplant. If you're not a fan of fish, please try this eggplant version. It's delicious, and the best part is there's absolutely no fishy smell to clean up afterward!

Finishing Touches and Retaining Texture

Once everything is chopped into a smooth paste, drizzle about 1/2 tsp of soy sauce over it. Then, gently fold in the 1/3 coarsely chopped eggplant we set aside earlier. Since we want to retain the eggplant's texture, use the back of the knife blade to mix it in without cutting it further. Finally, line a strainer with a paper towel and thoroughly drain any excess moisture once more. Place a shiso leaf on a plate, mound the mixture neatly, and your 'Eggplant Namerou'—the ultimate hot-day appetizer—is complete! The rich umami of miso and ginger combined with the refreshing kick of myoga and shiso makes it the perfect dish for humid days.

About 夕方食堂

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