A simple nanbanzuke-style side dish that turns odds and ends from the vegetable drawer into something deliberate. The kabocha brings sweetness, the eggplant turns soft and silky, and the piman keeps a fresh green bite. The vinegar mixture cuts through the richness of the pan-fried vegetables and tastes even better after a short rest.
Ingredients
250g Kabocha
1 Eggplant
4 Piman
1/4 Onion
Salad oil
3 osaji Rice vinegar
2 osaji Soy sauce
2 osaji Water
1 1/2 osaji Sugar
Steps
1. Prepare the vegetables. Cut kabocha into 5–7mm slices. Cut eggplant into chunky wedges. Stem and halve or quarter the piman; remove most loose seeds if desired. Slice onion if using.
2. Mix the nanban sauce. Stir together vinegar, soy sauce, water and 1 osaji sugar until dissolved. Add ginger or chili if you want a little extra lift.
3. Pan-fry in stages. Cook kabocha first over medium heat until nearly tender and lightly browned. Add eggplant and cook until soft and glossy. Add piman and onion last, just until blistered but still colorful.
4. Marinate while hot. Transfer the vegetables straight into the sauce and turn gently so everything is coated.
5. Rest. Leave 20–30 minutes before serving. Room temperature is excellent; chilled is sharper and especially good on a warm day.
Cooking Notes
Kabocha is the slow one. Slice it thinner than the other vegetables so everything finishes together. Because kabocha is naturally sweet, the lower end of the sugar range is usually enough.
Tamagawa Salad 