Binchotan-Seared Kamo Nasu in Chilled Kombu-Tamari Dashi

Introduction

Welcome to my kitchen. Today, we honor the Kamo Nasu, the jewel of Kyoto’s late summer. This dish is a meditation on the transition of seasons—the lingering warmth of the sun meeting the first cool breath of autumn. We lightly sear the eggplant over binchotan to capture a whisper of smoke, then allow it to rest in a deep, aged tamari and kombu dashi. It is a dish of patience and profound umami.

Ingredients

• 1 large Kamo Nasu (Kyoto eggplant) or heirloom globe eggplant
• 200ml cold-brew Kombu Dashi (steeped for 12 hours)
• 2 tbsp 3-year aged Tamari
• 1 tbsp Hon-mirin
• 1 tsp freshly grated ginger root
• 4 Shishito peppers
• 1 tsp julienned Myoga (Japanese ginger bud)
• 1 tbsp Kudzu starch (or potato starch)
• Rice bran oil for light frying
• A pinch of toasted white sesame seeds

Instructions

1. Prepare the dashi marinade by combining the kombu dashi, aged tamari, and mirin in a small pot. Bring to a bare simmer for two minutes to meld the flavors, then set aside to cool completely.
2. Using a sharp knife, peel the eggplant in a 'checkered' pattern (katsuramuki technique) and slice into rounds 3cm thick. Lightly score the flesh in a fine diamond pattern to allow the dashi to penetrate.
3. Dust the eggplant rounds very lightly with kudzu starch, tapping off any excess until only a ghost of white remains.
4. In a cast-iron pan or over binchotan charcoal, heat a small amount of rice bran oil. Fry the eggplant rounds over medium heat until the skin is tender and the flesh is golden and custardy.
5. While the eggplant is hot, place it directly into the cooled dashi marinade. Let it rest for at least 30 minutes to soak up the umami.
6. Quickly blister the shishito peppers over an open flame or charcoal until the skin is slightly charred and fragrant.
7. To serve, place one eggplant round in the center of an asymmetric, dark ceramic bowl. Pour a small pool of the marinade around it.
8. Garnish with a blistered shishito, a small mound of grated ginger, julienned myoga, and a whisper of sesame seeds.

As you taste, notice the contrast between the creamy heart of the eggplant and the sharp, clean brightness of the ginger. It is a quiet moment of gratitude for the earth’s patience and the subtle shift of the seasons. I hope this brings a sense of peace to your table today.

Hiroshi