Vego Vibes: Baked Miso Eggplant with a Soba Noodle & Vegetable Salad

We are excited to share the latest recipe of our Bigg Dude Food cooking series: Baked Miso Eggplant with a Soba Noodle & Vegetable Salad.

Arrnott Olssen takes us through how flavourful a veggie-friendly recipe can be. This is an easy dish to cook for your friends for lunch or dinner when you are looking for an alternative to meat.

INGREDIENTS

4 medium Sized Eggplants

2 Tbsps. Honey

4 Tbsps. white miso

3 Tbsps. sesame oil

3 Tbsps. Light soy sauce

2 Tbsps. rice vinegar

3 Tbsps. water (hot)

Salt flakes for seasoning

For the Soba Salad

2 Packets Soba Noodles (270grams)

½ Bunch Spring Onions Diced

1 Small bunch Coriander leaves chopped.

1 Small packet of Been Sprouts Washed and Drained

1 Tbsp toasted white or black sesame seeds.

Soba Salad Dressing

1 Tbsp neutral Oil e.g. Canola, Vegetable etc

3 Tbsp sesame oil

1 tsp Chilli Flakes

1 Small Piece of Ginger Grated

3 Tbsp honey or Brown Sugar mixed with a little water (for a vegan option) or Maple Syrup

3 Tbsp Light Soy Sauce

Salt flakes for seasoning

Garnish

Coriander leaves Chopped.

Black or White Sesame Seeds

Spring Onion Finely Chopped

METHOD

1. For the eggplant: Preheat the oven to 200ºC / 400ºF and line a baking dish with some baking paper ready for the eggplant.

2. Cut the eggplants in half and score the inside of the eggplant in squares making diagonal cuts, being careful when cutting to get deep without cutting through the skin.

3. In a bowl mix together the Honey, Miso, Sesame Oil, Light Soy Sauce, Rice Wine Vinegar, Pinch or Two of Salt & Water until its thoroughly combined.

4. Using a brush, coat the eggplant with the miso mixture, making sure to thoroughly coat each eggplant slice.

5. Bake in an oven for 30 minutes or until eggplant is cooked.

6. Once cooked, take them out of the oven and coat with some extra miso mixture, then garnish with finely chopped spring onions and sprinkle with sesame seeds.

7. For the soba salad: in medium size pot bring some salted water to a boil, cook the soba noodles according to the package instructions, but ensure not to overcook it.

8. Once cooked drain into a colander and then rinse the soba noodles under cold running water. This is to remove the excess starch and also stop the cooking, once done drain the noodles well and transfer to a large bowl.

9. Add Coriander, Bean Sprouts, Spring Onion and Sesame Seeds to the Soba Noodles and mix thoroughly.

10. For the salad dressing: warm the oil, sesame oil & chilli flakes in a small pot for a few minutes before removing from the heat.

11. Add the Soy Sauce, Ginger and Honey and whisk to mix in thoroughly before adding to the Soba Noodle mix.

12. Serve with the Miso Eggplant and Garnish with Spring Onion & Sesame Seeds.

Specialty equipment:

- Baking Dish

- Colander

- Microplane

- Whisk

Watch the video tutorial here. Enjoy!