Name: Aubergine with miso and Chinese cabbage
Ingredients: 2 medium aubergines; 4 tbsp vegetable oil; 1 ½ tbsp caster sugar; 2 tbsp cooking saké; 130g medium red miso; 4 tbsp mirin; 1 ½ tsp smooth and hot mustard (neri karashi, if you can get it); 1 tbsp lemon juice (or yuzu juice); 4 tbsp tamari; 1 tbsp sesame oil; ½ chinese cabbage, core removed and leaves shredded coarsely; 100g enoki mushrooms, base cut off; 3 tbsp toasted sesame seeds; 1 handful picked coriander leaves

Side Veganisable

This recipe is full of fast-track-to-big-flavour ingredients. Chinese cabbage and enoki mushrooms are sautéed in sesame oil and aubergines are brushed with miso, grilled until bubbling. To plate, simply nestle the sautéed cabbage in a bowl, layer on those umami-packed aubergines, and finish it off with a sprinkle of sesame seeds and coriander for a fresh finish.

Ingredients

2	medium aubergines
4 tbsp	vegetable oil
1 ½ tbsp	caster sugar
2 tbsp	cooking saké
130g	medium red miso
4 tbsp	mirin
1 ½ tsp	smooth and hot mustard (neri karashi, if you can get it)
1 tbsp	lemon juice (or yuzu juice)
4 tbsp	tamari
1 tbsp	sesame oil
½	chinese cabbage, core removed and leaves shredded coarsely
100g	enoki mushrooms, base cut off
3 tbsp	toasted sesame seeds
1	handful picked coriander leaves

Method

Remove the aubergine stalks, then cut each in two widthways. Cut the fattest half in two lengthways, and cut each half into three wedges; repeat with the thin half, but cut each half into two wedges. Put the wedges skin side down on an oven tray, brush with half the vegetable oil, place under a medium grill and cook for 30 minutes, until soft.
Meanwhile, prepare the miso. Put the sugar and saké in a saucepan and warm up gently to dissolve the sugar. Add the miso, mirin, mustard and lemon, and over low heat whisk to a smooth paste. Remove one tablespoon from the mix, add tamari to the rest and stir.
When the aubergine is almost ready, brush liberally with the miso/tamari paste and return to the grill for five minutes, or until the paste begins to bubble.
Meanwhile, in a wok heat up the remaining vegetable oil and the sesame oil. Throw in the cabbage and stir-fry on a high flame for 30 seconds, just to soften. Stir in the enoki, the reserved miso paste and two tablespoons of sesame seeds, and remove from the heat at once.
Pile the cabbage inside a shallow bowl and top with aubergine. Sprinkle the aubergine with the remaining sesame seeds and garnish with coriander leaves.