aubergine with cucumber noodles

How to make aubergine with cucumber noodles recipe

Serves 4

Total cooking time 20 minutes

Ingredients:
12 baby aubergines, halved
4 tablespoons white miso paste
3 tablespoons rice wine vinegar
2 tablespoons caster sugar
1 tablespoon sake or water
1 tablespoon sesame seeds
125 g (4 oz) soy beans
300 g (10 oz) ready-cooked rice noodles
½ cucumber, thinly sliced
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
salt

Method:
Make a criss-cross pattern on the cut sides of the aubergines and place them, cut side down, on a grill pan. Cook for 7–10 minutes under a preheated hot grill until charred.

Mix together the miso paste, 2 tablespoons of the vinegar, the sugar and sake or water. Turn the aubergines over and brush with the miso mixture. Return to the grill for 3–5 minutes until the aubergine is soft, then  sprinkle with the sesame seeds and cook for 1 minute more.

Meanwhile, cook the soy beans in a saucepan of lightly salted boiling water for 2 minutes until soft. Drain and cool under cold running water. Toss the beans together with the noodles, cucumber, spring onions, the remaining vinegar and season with salt. Serve with the grilled aubergine.

For grilled aubergine salad with miso ginger dressing, cut 2 large aubergines into thin slices and toss together with 6 tablespoons vegetable oil.

Cook on a hot griddle pan for 2–3 minutes on each side until charred and soft. Mix together 1 tablespoon white miso paste with 2 tablespoons rice wine vinegar, a pinch of caster sugar, 2 teaspoons grated fresh root ginger and ½ finely chopped red chilli.

Whisk in 5 tablespoons vegetable oil, then toss together with the grilled aubergine and 200 g (7 oz) rocket leaves. Total cooking time 10 minutes.

aubergine with cucumber noodles