Japanese Eggplant Nanban with Homemade Tartar Sauce
Tender pan fried Japanese eggplant is soaked in a sweet and tangy Nanban sauce, then topped with a rich homemade tartar sauce. This simple vegetable dish is so satisfying that you will not miss the meat.
If you love Chicken Nanban, this eggplant version deserves a place on your table. The eggplant becomes incredibly juicy after being pan fried, absorbing every bit of the sweet and tangy Nanban sauce.
Finished with a creamy homemade tartar sauce, this dish is rich, refreshing, and surprisingly filling. It is perfect as a side dish, an appetizer with drinks, or even as the main attraction for an easy weeknight dinner.
What you'll need
- 5 Japanese eggplants
- 4 to 5 tbsp vegetable oil
- 60 ml rice vinegar
- 40 ml soy sauce
- 40 g sugar
- <Tartar Sauce>
- 3 hard boiled eggs
- 1/4 onion, finely chopped
- 3 tbsp mayonnaise
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1 tsp milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
- Freshly ground black pepper to taste
- Chopped parsley to taste
How to make it
Make the tartar sauce. Finely chop the onion, microwave it for 1½ minutes at 500W, and let it cool. Mash the hard boiled eggs, then mix with the onion, mayonnaise, vinegar, milk, salt, pepper, black pepper, and parsley. Refrigerate until ready to serve.
Prepare the Nanban sauce by gently heating the soy sauce and sugar until the sugar dissolves. Remove from the heat, let it cool completely, then stir in the vinegar.
Cut each eggplant into four pieces. Pan fry skin side down over medium heat with the vegetable oil until softened and lightly browned, adding more oil if needed. Wipe away excess oil, pour in the Nanban sauce, and let the eggplant soak for a few minutes.
Arrange the eggplant on a serving plate and generously spoon the chilled tartar sauce over the top before serving.
Tips
- The tartar sauce tastes even better after chilling in the refrigerator for at least 30 minutes before serving.
- For the best texture, pan fry the eggplant until it is beautifully golden and tender before soaking it in the Nanban sauce.
- The eggplant is also delicious on its own with just the Nanban sauce, making it a great make ahead side dish.
What to drink with it
