Grilled and Stewed Eggplant

For two to three people:

8 eggplants
4 tablespoons concentrated koi-dashi
1 tablespoon sake
1 tablespoon sugar
A pinch of sesame oil

1) Cut slits into the eggplant skin in a cross-stitch pattern so that the sauce can be absorbed by the vegetable. Then slice the eggplants in half.

3) Add 1 tablespoon sake and 1 tablespoon sugar and simmer until soft, cooking on low heat until the eggplants are soft, about five minutes.

It is recommended to eat the following day when the flavor has been best absorbed by the eggplants. Serve the stewed eggplant chilled over hot rice. Or you can serve by itself as a summer side dish.