Eggplant Dish

Ingredients:
4 large eggplants (the long Asian variety)
a potful of boiling dashi (make your own or use granules)

For the sauce:

3/4 c. of dashi
2 tbsps. soy sauce (I used dark; increase to 3 tbsps. if using light soy sauce like Kikkoman)
2 tbsps. of mirin
2 tbsps. of sake
1 to 2 tbsps. of brown sugar

To garnish:

a couple tablespoonfuls of toasted sesame seeds

Cut the eggplants into wedges. Cook in boiling dashi just until they soften (be careful not to allow them to turn mushy). Scoop out, dump in a bowl of iced water and allow to cool and refresh. Drain well. Transfer to a shallow serving bowl.

Stir together all the ingredients for the sauce. Pour into a pan and boil briskly for two minutes.

Pour the sauce over the eggplants. Sprinkle the toasted sesame seeds. Serve as an appetizer, a side dish or a light main dish.