Recipe
Exquisite Japanese Dish with Seasonal Summer Eggplant! Kasahara-Style Eggplant Tataki
Ingredients
- 3eggplants
- 2myoga (Japanese ginger buds)
- 5shiso leaves
- 1/3pack kaiware (daikon radish sprouts)
- 1/4green onion
- 50gyoung ginger
- Katsuobushi(bonito flakes) to taste
- 1tbsp vegetable oil
- 1tbsp sesame oil
- 4tbsp soy sauce
- 2tbsp mirin
- 2tbsp vinegar
- 2tbsp lemon juice
- 3gdashi kombu (dried kelp)
About "Eggplant Tataki"
A Japanese dish featuring seasonal eggplant sliced diagonally, grilled, and served with plenty of aromatic herbs and homemade ponzu. The ponzu—made from soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, lemon juice, and dashi kombu—and the herb mix of myoga, shiso, kaiware sprouts, green onion, and young ginger pair perfectly with the chilled grilled eggplant. It's a dish that goes wonderfully with both rice and sake.
Introduction to 【賛否両論】笠原将弘の料理のほそ道 →
Tips for Making "Eggplant Tataki"
-
Prep
- Soak the eggplant in water for 10 minutes to remove bitterness and speed up cooking.
-
Prep
- Mix the herbs in water so they combine evenly without getting crushed, keeping them crisp.
-
Heat control
- Combine equal parts of vegetable and sesame oil to balance the flavor without making it too heavy.
-
Heat control
- Grill both sides slowly over medium heat for about 4 minutes; moisture beading on the surface indicates they are done.
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Seasoning
- Make the homemade ponzu with soy sauce, mirin, vinegar, lemon juice, and dashi kombu; no need to boil off the mirin.
Ingredients for "Eggplant Tataki"
14 items* Tap ingredient names to find on Amazon
How to Make "Eggplant Tataki"
- 1
Prepping the Eggplants
Remove the stems from 3 eggplants with a knife, then slice them diagonally into 5mm-thick slices to maximize their surface area. Immediately soak the sliced eggplants in water for about 10 minutes to remove bitterness and help them cook faster.
- 2
Slicing and Soaking the Herbs
Thinly slice 2 myoga, cut off the roots of the kaiware sprouts and cut them into thirds, finely shred 5 shiso leaves, and thinly slice 1/4 green onion. Place them all into a bowl of water and gently mix; this prevents the delicate herbs from getting crushed while ensuring they combine evenly.
- 3
Adding Young Ginger to Complete the Herb Mix
Lightly peel 50g of young ginger, finely julienne it, and add it to the water with the other herbs. Mix everything well, then drain in a strainer and shake off excess water. This versatile herb mix can also be used as a topping for somen noodles or chilled tofu.
- 4
Making Homemade Ponzu
In a bowl, combine 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp vinegar, and 2 tbsp lemon juice. Add one 3g piece of dashi kombu to infuse umami. There is no need to boil off the alcohol in the mirin, as it will naturally dissipate while resting.
- 5
Drying the Eggplants
Drain the soaked eggplants in a strainer and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels. It is crucial to dry them well, as any remaining moisture will cause hot oil to splatter during cooking.
- 6
Grilling the Eggplants
Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil and 1 tbsp sesame oil together in a frying pan. Once hot, arrange the eggplant slices in a single layer without overlapping and grill them slowly over medium heat. After about 4 minutes, flip them over to brown both sides. When moisture beads up on the surface, it is a sign they are cooked through.
- 7
Plating and Serving
Beautifully arrange the grilled eggplant on a plate and drizzle the homemade ponzu over them. Pile the well-drained herb mix generously on top, and finish by scattering bonito flakes over the dish.
Food Science
Combining the glutamic acid in dashi kombu with the inosilic acid in bonito flakes creates a synergistic umami effect, resulting in a deep, rich flavor. Additionally, the saltiness of the soy sauce, sweetness of the mirin, and acidity of the vinegar and lemon juice are beautifully balanced by the refreshing heat and aroma of herbs like ginger and myoga. This perfectly harmonizes the five basic tastes, creating a dish that is both light and deeply flavorful.
Detailed Commentary on "Eggplant Tataki"
* Content organized by topics from the video.
Hikaru Nishida and Eggplant Tataki
The video opens with Chef Masahiro Kasahara's lighthearted banter. He shares a story about how he always wanted to attend singer Hikaru Nishida's famous summer birthday party—a staple of Japanese entertainment news back in the day—and expresses a sense of closeness to her as they are the same age. As a perfect dish for summer, he introduces Eggplant Tataki made with seasonal eggplant. Inspired by bonito tataki (seared bonito), this dish is served refreshingly with plenty of aromatic herbs and ponzu. The chef highly recommends this Kochi Prefecture specialty as the ultimate appetizer for hot weather.
Slicing and Soaking the Eggplant
The cooking begins with prepping the eggplant. First, trim the stems of 3 eggplants with a knife, carving them like a pencil to minimize waste. Next, slice them diagonally into 5mm-thick slices to increase the surface area so the sauce clings better. Immediately submerge the sliced eggplant in water and let them soak for 10 minutes. This is a crucial professional tip: it not only removes bitterness but also allows the eggplant to absorb water, which helps them cook much faster later.
Slicing and Mixing Herbs in Water
Next, prepare the generous topping of aromatic herbs. Thinly slice 2 myoga, trim the roots of 1/3 pack of kaiware sprouts and cut them into thirds, finely shred 5 shiso leaves, and thinly slice 1/4 green onion. Place them all into the same bowl of water. Mixing them in water allows the different herbs to combine evenly without getting crushed. Soaking also removes the harshness and sharp bite of the myoga and other herbs, leaving them crisp and refreshing.
Julienned Young Ginger and the Herb Mix
To finish the herbs, lightly peel 50g of young ginger, finely julienne it, and add it to the water. While garlic is a classic pairing for bonito tataki, the chef skips it here for a cleaner, more refreshing finish (though you can add it if you like). Once thoroughly mixed in the water, drain the herbs in a strainer before they lose their aroma from over-soaking. This versatile herb mix is perfect for topping somen or cold soba noodles, chilled tofu, or grilled meats, so making an extra batch is highly recommended.
Easy Homemade Ponzu and Drying Eggplant
Next, prepare the homemade ponzu, which defines the dish's flavor. In a bowl, combine 4 tbsp soy sauce, 2 tbsp mirin, 2 tbsp vinegar, and 2 tbsp lemon juice, then add one 3g piece of dashi kombu for deep umami. There is no need to boil off the alcohol in the mirin, as it will naturally dissipate while resting. While the chef uses easily accessible lemon, sudachi or yuzu also work beautifully. Once the ponzu is ready, drain the soaked eggplant and thoroughly pat them dry with paper towels. Drying them carefully is key to preventing dangerous oil splatters during cooking.
Grilling Eggplant in a Blend of Oils
Now, it's time to grill the eggplant. Heat equal parts of vegetable oil (1 tbsp) and sesame oil (1 tbsp) in a frying pan. Grilling with only sesame oil makes the flavor too heavy, so blending it half-and-half with vegetable oil is Chef Kasahara's signature touch. Once the oil is hot, arrange the eggplant in a single layer and grill slowly over medium heat. If they don't all fit at once, grilling them in two batches of similar sizes ensures even cooking. If you have a fish grill at home, grilling them on the grate is also delicious.
Perfectly Grilled Eggplant & Kochi Memories
After grilling for about 4 minutes, flip the eggplant to get a beautiful color on both sides. When moisture beads up on the surface, it's a sign they are cooked through. The parts near the stem are slightly firmer, so cook them a bit longer. Transfer them to a tray as they finish. Here, the chef fondly recalls the delicious local foods he enjoyed while working at a hotel in Kochi Prefecture, such as straw-seared salt tataki, vegetable-based country sushi, and moray eel tataki.
Plating, Garnishing, and Tasting
Beautifully arrange the grilled eggplant on a plate and drizzle the homemade ponzu over them. Pile the well-drained herb mix high on top, and scatter bonito flakes (to taste) to complete the visually stunning Eggplant Tataki. During the tasting, the combination of the melt-in-your-mouth, oil-kissed eggplant, crisp herbs, and refreshing ponzu is outstanding—perfect with a cold beer. In the latter half, staff member Ryo-kun, who shaved his head for the new year, joins in. The chef playfully teases him, calling him 'Takamori Saigo' and 'the Japanese Brad Pitt,' wrapping up the video in a warm, lively atmosphere.
About 【賛否両論】笠原将弘の料理のほそ道
【賛否両論】笠原将弘の料理のほそ道
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