Soy sauce, sake and sesame oil-braised aubergines

• portioner: 4 servings
• aktiv tid: 10 minutes
• total tid: 45 minutes

Ingredienser

3 large or 4 medium aubergines (1.1kg)

4tbsp sunflower oil or rapeseed oil

5tbsp light soy sauce

¼ fine sea salt

6tbsp cooking sake

2tsp light brown sugar

2tsp seasoned rice vinegar

5tbsp toasted sesame oil

3 cm x 3 cm piece 3cm x 3cm piece fresh ginger peeled and finely grated

4 garlic cloves peeled and minced

1 red bird’s eye chilli slit lengthways

100g spring onions halved across the belly, then cut lengthways into long, thin strips (and rinsed, if need be)

Toasted sesame seeds to finish

Cooked plain rice to serve

Instruktioner

Heat the oven to 220C (200C fan)/425F/gas 7, and line two large trays with baking paper.

Trim the tops off the aubergines, then cut each one into eight long wedges.

Put these in a bowl with the sunflower oil, toss with your hands to coat, then lay the wedges side by side on the oven trays.

Bake for 25 minutes, until soft.

Meanwhile, make the braising liquid.

In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, a quarter-teaspoon of salt, the sake, brown sugar, rice vinegar and three tablespoons of toasted sesame oil.

Put the remaining two tablespoons of sesame oil in a small frying pan on a medium to low heat and, once hot, add the ginger, garlic and chilli, and fry for two minutes, until pale golden.

Add the spring onions, stir for a minute, then add the soy and sake mixture, take off the heat and mix well.

When the aubergines have had their 25 minutes, transfer them to a smaller, lipped baking tray, laying the wedges on top of each other.

Stir the braising liquid again, then pour it all over the aubergines and shake the tin to make sure all the aubergines are covered.

Roast for a further 10 minutes, sprinkle with sesame seeds and serve with rice alongside.