Oola’s Creamy Sesame-Eggplant Spaghetti (Eggplant Mayonnaise Sesame Spaghetti)

Okay, in English, that maybe doesn’t sound so good, but remember, we’re using delicious Japanese Kewpie mayonnaise. Yum.

This a recipe by food writer and blogger Oola, featured in Radish Lad’s monthly magazine Salad. This recipe is from the July issue and is super simple and quick to put together. Perfect Friday dinner.

Creamy Sesame Eggplant Spaghetti

160 g spaghetti
2 eggplants (Asian/ladyfinger)
2 large cloves garlic, finely cut
1 Tbsp olive oil
salt and pepper
soy sauce
mirin (sweet cooking wine – check your local Asian supermarket)
3 Tbsps hot water (from the spaghetti pot)
2 Tbsps mayonnaise (Kewpie mayonnaise)
2 Tbsps toasted sesame seeds
red pepper threads, finely cut green shiso

Cook spaghetti as directed.

Cut the eggplants in half, and then cut each half into four lengthwise slices. Place the sliced eggplant on a sheet of tinfoil, sprinkle to salt and pepper to taste and ½ Tbsp of olive oil, close the tinfoil tightly, and bake in a toaster oven or under a medium grill for 10 minutes.

Add the remaining ½ Tbsp olive oil and garlic to a large frypan and heat over a low flame until fragrant. Add the eggplant, soy sauce, mirin and water and stir-fry.

Add the cooked spaghetti and mayonnaise to the eggplant, sprinkle with the sesame seeds and serve topped with chilli threads and finely sliced green shiso as desired.

Serves 2. 663 cal per serve.

Radish Lad

In New Zealand we used to get an organic vege box delivered each week – seasonal, great quality veges. During winter it got pretty dull though – beetroot beetroot turnip beetroot.

Since coming back to Tokyo, we’ve started getting a weekly vege box from Radish Lad (Radish Boya in Japanese), a company that’s being going for over 20 years that delivers organic or low pesticide fruit and vegetables. It’s brilliant. There is a huge range of ‘boxes’ (they call it a palette) available, they sell free-range eggs, and have a massive catalog of low environmental impact products.

Each week there’s a catalog, including seasonal specials, and once a month Salad magazine arrives with your vege palette. Salad introduces the suppliers, and includes a series of recipes. Since we’ve been getting the palette delivered, I’ve made a bunch of the recipes, particularly from food writer and blogger Oola, and they’re all brilliant. Simple and delicious.

Can’t recommend it more highly!