fried eggplant with tuna fish / Nagaimo with pickled plum paste

Enjoy two easy summery side dishes. You will love this sweet and tender flavorful eggplant and fresh crisp Nagaimo with pickled plum paste. Pickled plum is one of Japan's ancient medicinal foods. I like to serve these dishes with cold Soba or Somen noodles in mid-Summer to Autumn. 

Serves 4


-Fried Eggplant with Tuna


Ingredients:
3 or 4 Asian eggplant, cut into 1-inch
1 can (4 to 5 oz.) tuna packed in water, drained and flaked
2 Tbs. Mentsuyu / Japanese seasoning soy sauce
1/2 cup water
vegetable oil for frying
3 Shiso leaves, chopped 


Directions:
In a small bowl, stir together the Mentsuyu and water. Set aside.


In a wok or deep fry pan, heat enough vegetable oil for frying over mediam high heat. When the oil is hot, add the eggplant and cook turning often until the eggplant has softened about 3 minutes. Using a slotted spoon, transfer it to the bowl of Mentsuyu. Add the tuna and gently mix the eggplant and tuna.


Transfer the eggplant and tuna to a serving bowl and garnish with the Shiso.


-Nagaimo with Pickled plum paste


Ingredients:
1/2 lb. Nagaimo, peeled and slice thinly lengthwise
2 pickled plum, seeded and chopped into paste
4 Shiso leaves, chopped


Directions:
Divide sliced Nagaimo into 4 serving plate, plum paste on top then garnish with Shiso.

UMEBOSHI / pickled plum

Fight fatigue fast

Food poisoning

Hangover

Fatigue

Appetite stimulant

SHISO / beefsteak plant

Sleep easy

Insomnia

Allergies

Immune system

Food poisoning

Diarrhoea