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Editor’s note: The theme of Gohan Lab is to help people make simple, tasty “gohan” (meals).
* * * While eggplant and oil make good partners, grilled eggplant also makes for an attractive, mouth-watering dish. When the skin is grilled and removed, the texture turns thick and smooth, and the toasty flavor will make you hungry for more. Peeling becomes easy when the eggplant is cooked over direct heat on a grilling grid and the skin is thoroughly charred. When this is done, immerse it in water and then quickly remove the skin. This way, the eggplant will not become watery and should remain warm inside. Although you can use your kitchen’s built-in fish grill, the eggplant will take l...
* * * A variety of eggplants are produced around Japan. Other than the typical long egg-shaped kind, there are longer ones, bite-size ones and those with greenish-yellow skin, some of which you may see at the store. You can also order them directly from the production area. How they are eaten depends on their shape and texture. “Mizu-nasu,” literally “water eggplant,” is also a local variety, and those produced in the Senshu area in Osaka Prefecture are well known. Although characterized by its large roundish egg shape, its foremost feature is the high water content. Tradition has it ...
Editor’s note: The theme of Gohan Lab is to help people make simple, tasty “gohan” (meals). * * * To cap the series on answering our readers’ requests, we chose a desire “to clean and prepare fish.” The in-season Japanese sardine is opened flat with the hands. Since sardines are tender, they can be filleted with your hands instead of a knife after removing the head and guts. The flesh and bones are separated by running the ball of the thumbs along the bone. Once you get the hang of it and get better, cleaning fish will become fun. According to the Japan Fisheries Information Servi...
* * * The third installment in our series responding to reader requests answers a query on how to “cook a fish whole.” You can find “maiwashi” Japanese sardines glistening in the seafood section of your local supermarket. Though the in-season fish can be enjoyed grilled with a sprinkle of salt or simmered with soy sauce and other ingredients, you may feel reluctant to clean and prepare a whole fish yourself. But any worries you have over doing so will disappear once you learn the proper procedure. Even if you’re a beginner, you can keep the kitchen clean and make cleaning up easy by...