Doenjang-glazed grilled Asian aubergine (doenjang gaji gui)

This aubergine recipe is a variation of the Japanese version, nasu dengaku, which is an all-time fave for me. Here I use doenjang, which kicks the flavour up a notch. It is divine!

Ingredients

Serves 6 portions

3 asian aubergines (about 140 g/5 oz each), halved lengthways
vegetable oil, for grilling
sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
120ml (4 fl oz) doenjang glaze
roasted sesame seeds, to serve
pinch of gochugaru (Korean chilli flakes), to serve (optional)
handful of spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle, to serve

Doenjang glaze

125 g(4½ oz) doenjang (Korean soya bean paste)
50 g(1¾ oz) honey
5 garlic cloves, grated or finely chopped
3 spring onions, thinly sliced on an angle
2 tbsp soy sauce
2 tbsp toasted sesame oil

Method

To make the doenjang glaze, in a small bowl, whisk together all the ingredients until smooth. Cover and store in the fridge if not using immediately.
Preheat the grill and position a rack 10–13 cm (4–5 in) from the heat source. Line a baking tray with foil.
Score the flesh of each aubergine half in a crisscross pattern, cutting deeply but not all the way through to the skin. Brush the aubergine halves with oil and season with salt and pepper. Arrange them, skin-side up, in a single layer on the prepared baking tray.
Grill for 3–5 minutes until the skins start to discolor in spots and the aubergines soften a bit. Flip them and continue to grill for a further 3–5 minutes until the cut sides are lightly golden and the aubergines are soft when squeezed. Spread the glaze over the flesh and grill for about 5 minutes until it’s bubbling and lightly charred in spots. Watch carefully, as the glaze can burn quickly.
Transfer the aubergines to plates, flesh-side up, and garnish with sesame seeds, chilli flakes, if liked, and the spring onions.

Notes

While the aubergine halves look nicer served as is, cutting them into smaller pieces makes them easier to eat.
The glaze is a savoury, salty and slightly sweet mixture. It makes about 300 ml (10 fl oz).