Japanese Grilled Eggplant (Yaki Nasu) 焼きなす

• Soak 3 Japanese or Chinese eggplants in water for 15 minutes. Tip: I read in several Japanese recipes that soaking the eggplants in water prior to cooking helps them become fresh, like just harvested.
  
• Make a thin incision around the top of the eggplant and along with the eggplant lengthwise at 3 locations so that it’s easier to peel off the skin later (think peeling a banana).
  
• Insert a chopstick or skewer to create a hole, which helps to evaporate moisture while cooking.
  
• Grill the eggplant on high heat over the wire rack. Do you see the steam coming off from eggplant? Grill until the skin gets completely burnt and the entire eggplant becomes wilted. Remove from the heat.
  
• Dip your fingers in iced water and start peeling the skin off. You can peel off the skin similar to a banana since there are several incisions already made. You have to peel it off quickly before the purple skin color transfers to the nice green eggplant color inside.
  

To Serve

• Cut into small pieces and serve on a plate.
  
• Sprinkle katsuobushi (dried bonito flakes) and chopped green onion/scallion. I also top with some Korean chili thread. Serve with either ¼ tsp yuzu kosho (Japanese citrus chili paste) mixed into 1 Tbsp ponzu or ¼ tsp grated ginger mixed into 1 Tbsp soy sauce.

To Broil (optional)

• Set the oven broiler to High (550ºF/288ºC) for 3 minutes before cooking. After step 3 above, place the eggplant on a baking sheet and put in the middle rack of the oven, about 6 inches (15 cm) away from the heating element. Cook for 10–15 minutes, and then flip to cook the other side for 10 minutes, until the inside is tender and cooked through. Watch the eggplant carefully; if your oven is small/strong, try broiling at medium (500ºF/260ºC).

To Store

• You can keep the leftovers in an airtight container and store in the refrigerator for up to 2 days.