From the Ministry of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries.
| Ingredient | Amount |
|---|---|
| Main ingredients | |
| Kamo-nasu | 2 |
| Seasonings and liquids | |
| White miso sauce: white miso | 100 g |
| White miso sauce: sake | 2 tablespoons |
| White miso sauce: mirin | 2 tablespoons |
| White miso sauce: sugar | 1 tablespoon |
| Red miso sauce: red miso | 100 g |
| Red miso sauce: sake | 2 tablespoons |
| Red miso sauce: mirin | 2 tablespoons |
| Red miso sauce: sugar | 5 tablespoons |
Among the traditional vegetables of Kyoto, kamo-nasu is one of the most popular. It is round, more than 10 cm across, with firm flesh and a heavy feel. It does not fall apart when simmered, and has the look and taste of a “queen of eggplants.”
One story says kamo-nasu was grown at Serikawa in Shimotoba Village, and the name came from its spread north to Kamigamo. This is not certain.
The Kamigamo district sits on a fertile fan-shaped plain between the Kamo River to the west and the Takano River to the east. Other traditional vegetables, such as sugukina, have long been grown there too.
One plant gives half as many fruits as an ordinary eggplant, and the color tends to fade and the fruit to split, so it is known as hard to grow.
Kamo-nasu goes well with oil, and its firm flesh keeps a good bite even when cooked slowly. Rings are cut and grilled in plenty of oil until the inside is soft.
The dengaku miso is made by simmering miso down a little with sake, mirin and sugar, and put on the eggplant. It can be made with Kyoto’s white miso or with red miso, and with both, you can enjoy the difference in taste.
After the miso is spread, the dish is lightly grilled, which adds the aroma of toasted miso. Sansho leaves, sesame or poppy seeds are often sprinkled on for another taste and texture.
The harvest runs from early May to early autumn, and kamo-nasu is a local summer taste. Large ones weigh more than 1 kg, but the ones in shops are mostly medium, 250 to 300 g.
Families make it every summer when kamo-nasu appears in shops, and how they grill or fry it and flavor the miso differs by home. Restaurants serve it too.
There is no single right answer. Talking it over with someone at home is a good way to learn.