Cheesy miso aubergine

Serves 4
Aubergine (eggplant) baked or grilled (broiled) with a miso coating is called Shigiyaki so if you left out the cheese it would become aubergine shigiyaki. The sourness of the cheddar and the chewiness of the mozzarella, however, adds a delicious Western slant to the dish.
Ingredients 2 aubergines (eggplant) Little sesame oil 2 teaspoons miso (white or red) 2 tbsp tomato ketchup 2 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp mirin 1 thumb ginger root 50g (2oz) mozzarella 50g (2oz) cheddar cheese	Cut the aubergines in half lengthways, season them with a sprinkle of salt, and score the flesh in a criss cross fashion. Drizzle over some sesame oil or vegetable oil if you prefer. Place them on a baking tray.
	Roast the aubergine in the oven for 50 minutes or until they are soft all of the way through.
	Mix the miso, tomato ketchup, soy sauce, mirin and grated ginger in a bowl. Spread the aubergines with some of the sauce and then top with the grated cheeses.
	Bake the aubergines again for about 15 minutes or grill them until the cheese melts, bubbles and starts to brown. Cut into smaller pieces and serve hot.

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Mirin is a sweetened sake with a similar taste to a sweet sherry. It is used a lot in Japanese cooking and used in many recipes in this book so it is worth seeking out a bottle. Lots of supermarkets now stock mirin and you will more than likely find it in your local Asian grocer. It can be quite expensive but no more than a good sherry.
Sesame oil isn't generally used for cooking but added as a finish to sauces. The oil should be dark brown and have a strong toasted sesame seed flavour. Use any Asian style brand. You will find it in most supermarkets.
Miso is a salty paste made from the fermentation of soy beans, rice or barley. there are two main types white miso and red miso. The white miso tends to be much sweeter and is the one I prefer but don't worry if you don't know which one to choose (there are many varieties) all types will work fine in the recipes in this book.