Tim Chin is a professional cook and writer who has contributed to Serious Eats and America’s Test Kitchen. A graduate of The International Culinary Center, Tim has cooked at restaurants in New York and Boston, working at Rouge Tomate, Northern Spy, and BiSq.

Tim Chin

Miso-glazed eggplant, or nasu dengaku, is a popular dish in Japanese izakaya, drinking establishments where the focus is on small bites. The custardy, silky, scoopable eggplant with a sweet-savory, deeply caramelized exterior is perfect for nibbling on between drinks.Despite its simplicity, it’s a dish that punches well above its weight. It’s richer than you’d expect and more aromatic and intensely flavored than it has any right to be.To optimize the texture and the look of the dish, we reduce the pH of the eggplant flesh with a brief soak in vinegar, which firms it up and prevents any unwanted oxidative browning. Don’t worry: All that vinegar cooks out of the eggplant and is imperceptible in the final dish.When cooked hot and fast, the roasted eggplant is gorgeous: The cut side has distinct crosshatching on top that, after glazing, is both lightly charred and caramelized. It’s the perfect canvas for all kinds of garnishes, from scallions to dancing bonito flakes.

Miso-Glazed Eggplant