Air Fryer Recipe
Miso Glazed Aubergine
This miso glazed aubergine recipe is a quick and delicious dish perfect for air frying, offering a crisp texture and rich umami flavor.
Ingredients
- 2 medium aubergines
- 3 tablespoons of miso paste
- 2 tablespoons of maple syrup
- 1 tablespoon of soy sauce
- 1 tablespoon of mirin (rice wine)
- 1 tablespoon of sesame oil
- 1 clove of garlic, minced
- 1 teaspoon of grated ginger
- Sesame seeds for garnish
- Chopped spring onions for garnish
Method
- Wash and dry the aubergines, then cut them lengthwise into halves or quarters.
- Score the flesh side of the aubergines in a diamond pattern.
- Preheat the air fryer to 180°C (356°F).
- Mix miso paste, maple syrup, soy sauce, mirin, sesame oil, minced garlic, and grated ginger in a bowl.
- Brush the miso mixture over the scored surface of the aubergines.
- Place the aubergines in the air fryer basket, skin side down, and cook for 15-20 minutes until tender and golden brown.
- Remove from the air fryer and let cool for a minute or two.
- Sprinkle with sesame seeds and chopped spring onions before serving.
Why this works in an air fryer
Scoring opens the aubergine’s sponge-like flesh so steam escapes and glaze penetrates. Air-fryer convection dries the cut surface quickly, while miso, maple and mirin brown through sugars and amino acids. Keeping the skin down protects the delicate flesh and helps the aubergine collapse to a silky texture.
Equipment notes
Assumes a 5–6 litre basket holding the aubergine in a single layer with gaps; if using a smaller single-drawer model, cook in batches rather than stacking. In a dual-zone fryer, split the pieces evenly between drawers, place them skin side down near the centre of each basket, and expect 1–3 minutes longer if the drawers are tightly filled.
Common pitfalls
- Glaze turning dark before the flesh is soft? The sugars in miso, maple and mirin are scorching; lower to 170°C, cover the darkest areas loosely with a small piece of foil, and extend until a knife slides in easily.
- Aubergine still bouncy or cottony at 20 minutes? The pieces are too thick or under-scored; cut deeper diamonds next time and, for this batch, cook 4–6 minutes longer with the flesh side up for more direct airflow.
- Watery glaze pooling in the basket? The aubergines were wet or the glaze was applied too heavily; pat the cut surface dry and brush on a thinner coat, adding a final light brush for the last 3 minutes only.
- Edges shrivelling while the centre stays pale? Airflow is hitting unevenly or pieces are touching; leave space between pieces and swap their positions halfway through cooking.
Variations & substitutions
- Use white miso for a sweeter, milder glaze; it browns a little less aggressively, so the aubergine can often take the full 20 minutes without scorching.
- Use brown rice miso or red miso for a deeper, saltier finish; reduce the soy sauce slightly and watch the colour from minute 12 as darker miso marks faster.
- Swap maple syrup for honey if not cooking vegan; honey browns faster, so reduce the temperature by about 5–10°C if the glaze darkens early.
- Add a teaspoon of chilli crisp or chilli oil to the glaze; the extra oil helps surface browning but can drip, so keep the aubergine skin side down and avoid over-brushing.
Storage & reheating
Keep leftovers chilled in an airtight container for up to 3 days, then reheat in the air fryer at 160°C for 5–7 minutes until hot and glossy.
Nutrition
Calories: 250
