Stir Fried Eggplant wih Miso

This is what happens when I submit an entry to a food event at the last minute. Since everybody is cooking the same ingredient, I have to think of a different way (different way from everybody else, that is,) to cook this ingredient. I am talking about Wandering Chopsticks' Weekend Wokking, by the way. The featured ingredient this month is the eggplant. Of course there are many ways to use the eggplant, but as usual, I wanted this ingredient to be the main feature of a dish.

So far, I have seen that there is a Vietnamese-Chinese dish, a Sichuan dish, a French inspired dish. I have made a Filipino eggplant dish before. You may want to check out my Tortang Talong or Stuffed Eggplant. So, I have decided to make the dish today Japanese inspired. I have adapted this recipe from the About.com Japanese food site.


4 pcs eggplants, sliced into 1/4" pieces
5 T minced garlic
1 green bell pepper, seeded, sliced
1 red bell pepper, seeded, sliced
3 T miso (soy bean paste)
1 and 1/2 T mirin
1 and 1/2 T sugar
2 T canola oil

1. Soak eggplants in water for 10 minutes and drain. Dry on paper towels.

2. Mix mirin and sugar in a bowl. Set aside.

3. Heat oil in a skillet, saute garlic until fragrant but not burnt. Then fry eggplant in medium heat until softened.

4. Add bell peppers and stir fry for a while.

5. Add mirin mixture and stir quickly. Add the miso last. Turn off the heat, still mixing the egglants to incorporate the miso flavor. (I have read somewhere that miso is better not cooked, so as not to lose its many vitamins and minerals.)


Miso is a traditional Japanese thick soya paste made from fermenting rice and soy beans. This is commonly used for miso soup. But it is a versatile flavoring ingredient as well. I have made Grilled fish with Miso Glaze that is not only flavorful but healthy as well. Miso is high in protein, minerals and vitamins. So, I want to experiment more and use miso to flavor foods.

This is the first time I cooked this Japanese-inspired dish. My verdict? It is flavorful, and a bit on the salty side. Maybe I will lessen the amount of miso next time. This dish is delicious paired with a steaming bowl of Jasmine rice.


This is my entry to Wandering Chopsticks' Weekend Wokking event, where we celebrate different ways we can cook one featured ingredient, this month being the eggplant. This month's host is Marija of Palachinka. Please check out her blog on Wednesday, Sept. 3 for the round-ups.