Japanese Aubergine and Beef cooked in Miso

Aubergine and beef are both popular ingredients in Japanese cooking, as is the delicious savoury condiment and cooking ingredient, miso. In this recipe from Harumi’s Japanese Kitchen aubergine and beef are simmered in a sauce flavoured with miso paste and chilli bean paste

Learn all about miso, including how it’s made and used, in our in-depth introduction to miso.

This book is a great starting point for anyone keen to learn and enjoy Japanese cooking. Find out more in Jack’s detailed review of Harumi’s Japanese Kitchen.

Print Pin

Japanese Aubergine and Beef Cooked in Miso

Aubergine is the most versatile vegetable because it tastes great cooked in any style, whether stewed, grilled or deep-fried. I have many favourite aubergine dishes and this recipe is one of them. The rich miso taste goes very well with white rice. By chopping the aubergine into larger bitesized pieces, you can enjoy the texture of the deep-fried aubergine as it melts in your mouth.

Author Harumi Kurihara

Ingredients

• 200 g beef steak
• 7-9 (700 grams) aubergines
• vegetable oil, for deep-frying, plus 1 tablespoon
• grated fresh root ginger, to garnish

Sauce

• 200 ml dashi stock
• 3 tbsp soy sauce
• 3 tbsp mirin
• 3 tbsp sugar
• 2-3 tbsp miso
• 2 tsp Tobanjan or any chilli bean paste

Instructions

• Combine the dashi and the other ingredients for the sauce in a bowl.
• Cut the beef into bite-sized pieces, if needed.
• Cut the stems off the aubergines, cut into large pieces and soak in water to remove the bitterness. Drain well and pat dry. Heat the vegetable oil in a deep-sided frying pan and deep-fry the aubergines until they are cooked through. Remove the aubergine using a slotted spoon and drain on kitchen paper.
• Heat the tablespoon of oil in a separate frying pan and sauté the beef.
• When the beef is cooked, add the sauce. When it comes to the boil, add the aubergines. Skim the surface, then reduce the heat and simmer for 5 –10 minutes. Turn off the heat and leave to stand for a few minutes.
• Transfer to a serving bowl, along with the sauce, and garnish with some grated ginger.

If you decide to buy this book after reading our content, please consider clicking through our affiliate link, located within the post and in the footnote at the end.

Kavey Eats received a review copy of Harumi’s Japanese Kitchen from publishers Conran Octopus. Book photography provided by Conran Octopus, recipe published with permission.