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4.9 from 141 votes

Eggplant Soup with Miso and Chili

With its distinctive smoky flavor, the miso in the background and the slightest chili kick, this eggplant soup is a perfect way to celebrate the return of good eggplant to your local market. Plus it is a pretty simple recipe and an easy way to show off!

Prep Time
15 mins
Cook Time
2 hrs 15 mins
Total Time
2 hrs 25 mins
Servings: 4 servings
Course: Soup
Cuisine: Japanese

Ingredients

  • 300 grams onion finely diced, approx. 2 medium onions
  • 1 tablespoon ginger peeled, roughly chopped
  • 2 tablespoons garlic
  • 2 medium eggplant about 500 grams (1 lb) each, peeled, cut into large chunks
  • 2 red birds eye chillis
  • 125 milliliters vegetable oil
  • 60 milliliters mirin
  • 1 liter chicken stock if using store bought stock, use a low salt variety.
  • 500 milliliters water
  • 1/2 tablespoon brown sugar
  • 2 tablespoons red miso paste
  • sesame oil

Instructions

    Cup of Yum
  1. Cut chillies in half and rinse out seeds and membrane under running water. Chop chilly skins finely.
  2. In a large saucepan or stockpot, heat the vegetable oil on high heat.
  3. Sauté the onion until translucent, stirring regularly, (about 4 minutes).
  4. Add the garlic and ginger and cook for a further 1 minute.
  5. Add the eggplant and continue to cook, stirring continuously until the pot is dry and the eggplant starting to colour and soften.
  6. Deglaze the pot with the mirin.
  7. Add the stock and water.
  8. Stir in the brown sugar and miso paste.
  9. Bring to the boil; reduce heat to a low simmer and cook for 2 hours.
  10. Remove from the heat and allow the soup to cool slightly.
  11. Transfer to a food processor or use a hand held stick blender, process the soup until smooth.
  12. Return to heat to warm up.
  13. Taste for seasoning and adjust as required. More miso may be added if desired.
  14. Garnish each serving of soup with a small drizzle of sesame oil, no more than ¼ tsp will be required.

Notes