I was introduced to this dish when I began working as an apprentice cook at a Kaiseki Izakaya in Takadanobaba, Tokyo in 1981. The regular customers including world-famous fashion designer Hanae Mori would enjoy it with sake.
Agedashi-tofu, deep-fried tofu and deep-fried fish such as rock cod, flounder, flathead, and snapper served with this sauce are also nice.
Ingredients: Serves 2
1 large eggplant
Cornflour or potato starch as needed
Deep frying oil as needed
10g ginger (peeled and grated)
60g daikon (white radish, peeled, grated, drained)
Green onion as needed (cut finely)
To make tempura dipping sauce- 25ml mirin, 25ml usukuchi soy sauce, 100ml ichiban dashi
Method:
1. Cut the eggplant in half lengthwise and place the pieces skin side up on a cutting board. Poke the eggplant with a fork or metal skewers. Turn the eggplant over and with a knife score the flesh as Shuji shows you in his YouTube video of this dish. 動画リンク貼る
Apply cornflour over the cut side of eggplants and deep fry in 160-degree Celsius deep-frying oil with skin side up first for about 2-3 minutes and turn the pieces over and deep fry the skin side for about 2 minutes. Try skewering the eggplants with a bamboo skewer and if it goes through with ease they are done. Take them out of the oil and drain well. Turn off the heat.
2. To make the sauce, pour 25ml mirin into a small saucepan. Bring to boil and tilt the saucepan and flambe to allow the alcohol to evaporate. Add 25ml usukuchi soy sauce and 100ml dashi. Remove from the heat.
3. Peel the daikon then grate and drain it.
4. Place the deep-fried eggplant skin side down in a dish. Pour reheated tempura sauce over it and top with grated daikon, grated ginger and finely chopped green onions.
5. Serve with a spoon.
● Usukuchi soy sauce is lighter in colour as compared to koikuchi all-purpose soy sauce, but it is saltier than koikuchi soy sauce. Usukuchi is used to season dashi broth, chawan-mushi (savoury steamed egg-dashi), and sauces like a tempura dipping sauce.