Recipes: Aubergine Dengaku | Chicken Teriyaki | Seared sesame Tuna

Aubergine Dengaku, serves 2

Ingredients:

1 aubergine

For the Dengaku Miso topping:

200g white miso (traditional Japanese seasoning)

2 egg yolks

2 mirin (rice wine)

2 tbs sugar

7 tbs water

Method:

For the miso topping: Mix all the ingredients in a saucepan. Place over simmering water. Stir until sugar is dissolved and thick. Allow the miso topping to cool to room temperature. Refrigerate and use as needed.

For the aubergine: Use a small sized aubergine, cut in half, then cut crosswise into rounds 2cm thick.

Grill (can also can be pan-fried or deep fried, if deep frying drain the extra oil), then apply the miso topping to the cut side.

Return the miso-topped aubergine to heat for toasting, until the miso topping starts bubbling (30 seconds to 1 minutes at the most).

Seared sesame Tuna, serves 2

Ingredients:

1 fillet of tuna, 5oz (150g)

Sesame (black or white or mix)

Miso topping (see above)

Method:

Coat the tuna in the sesame. Heat a pan, add oil.

When heated, put the sesame-coated tuna in the pan, sear all sides of the tuna, then cut into 12 slices.

Dress with Dengaku (miso topping) before serving.

Chicken Teriyaki, serves 2

Ingredients:

2 chicken legs (thigh or drumstick), boned

For the teriyaki sauce:

7 tbs sake (rice-based alcoholic drink)

7 tbs mirin

7 tbs dark soy sauce

1 tbs sugar

Method:

For the teriyaki: Mix the ingredients in a saucepan and boil over medium heat, until the sugar is dissolved. The teriyaki sauce can used immediately or leave to cool and store in refrigerator.

For the chicken: Over high flame, heat the oil in a large pan. Lay the chicken skin side down in pan. Fry over medium heat, until the skin is well browned.

When browned, turn and fry for about 8 to 10 minutes.

To serve, pour out the extra oil from the pan. Pour the teriyaki sauce and continue cooking over a high heat, turning the chicken several times so it is well coated in teriyaki sauce – a few minutes at most.

Jack Zhang is head chef at Kanpai, 8-10 Grindlay Street, 0131-228 1602, www.kanpaisushi.co.uk.