Ingredients

• 1¼  lbs Asian eggplants, halved lengthwise, and cut diagonally into 1½-inch pieces
• 2 tbsp mirin (Japanese rice wine)
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• ½ tsp finely grated peeled ginger
• 1/8 tsp Japanese seven-spice powder
• 3 tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 tbsp finely chopped chives
• Salt to taste

Method

1. Toss eggplant with 1 teaspoon salt and drain in a colander, stirring occasionally for about 45 minutes.
2. Rinse eggplant under cold water and dry well, pressing out any excess moisture.
3. Stir together mirin, soy sauce, ginger, and seven-spice powder.
4. Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy pan over medium-high heat until it shimmers, then sauté eggplant until browned, for about 8 minutes.
5. Stir in mirin mixture and cook, gently stirring and turning frequently, until sauce becomes a glaze and eggplant is browned and tender, in about 1 minute.
6. Serve hot or at room temperature, sprinkled with chives.

Ingredients

• 1 to 1½ lb. rib-eye of beef
• 1 12-oz. block of tofu, cut into 1-inch cubes
• 1 tbsp. oil
• 6 scallions cut into 2-inch pieces
• 1 small can shirataki
• 1 8-oz. can sliced bamboo shoots, rinsed under cold, running water
• 1 cup sliced fresh mushrooms
• 1 cup soy sauce
• 1½ cups water
• 3 tbsp. sugar

Method

1. Slice beef very thinly.
2. Heat oil in frying pan and sauté the beef.
3. Add scallions, shirataki, bamboo shoots, mushrooms, and tofu.
4. Combine remaining ingredients to make a sauce.
5. Pour sauce over meat and vegetables until they are half covered. Adjust heat so that sauce simmers.
6. After about 10 minutes, test a piece of meat to see if it is done.
7. Remove from pan and serve with hot rice.

another great recipe from japanesestylecooking.com.

Ingredients

• 6 boneless chicken thighs
• 1 bunch of spring onions
• Shichimi (seven-flavor spice) to taste
• For the yakitori sauce
• 2/3 cup soy sauce
• ½ cup sugar
• 1½ tbsp sake or dry white wine
• 1 tbsp plain flour

Method

1. For the sauce, stir the soya sauce, sugar and sake/wine into the flour in a small pan and bring to the boil, stirring continuously.
2. Lower the heat and simmer the mixture for 10 minutes, until the sauce is reduced by a third.
3. Cut each chicken thigh into bite-size pieces and set aside.
4. Cut the spring onions into 1-inch pieces. Preheat the grill.
5. Thread the chicken and spring onions alternately on the skewers.
6. Grill under medium heat, brushing generously several times with the sauce.
7. Allow 5-10 minutes, until the chicken is cooked but still moist.
8. Serve with a little extra yakitori sauce, offering shichimi with the kebabs if available.

another great recipe from japanesestylecooking.com.