Country-style Miso-flavored Eggplant Octopus and Cucumber with Vinegar Dressing Clear Soup with Asparagus

Master chef Saito will teach you how to cook eggplant as a satisfying and summery main dish. He'll also introduce you to a vinegar-dressed salad and a refreshing lemon-scented soup. Country-style Miso-flavored Eggplant [Ingredients] *Serves 2 2 eggplants 2 bell peppers 1 tbsp roasted sesame seeds 2 1/2 tbsp sesame oil 2 1/2 tbsp sugar 45g yellow miso 2 tsp soy sauce [Method] 1. Cut both ends of the eggplant, and peel strips of skin down, creating stripes. Then cut into chunks. 2. Plunge the pieces in water to stop discoloration, and changing the water two to three times. 3. Sop up excess water or the water will cause the eggplant to repel the oil during frying. 4. Cut the bell peppers into chunks. 5. Place the sesame oil into a pan over medium heat and cook the eggplant. When the oil has coated the eggplant well, add the bell pepper pieces. 6. Add the sugar. When sugar is added, the vegetables release their own juices, and they will cook in these juices. 7. Add the miso, and cook over low heat so that it does not burn. 8. For extra flavor, add soy sauce and sesame seeds. Octopus and Cucumber with Vinegar Dressing [Ingredients] *Serves 2 1 octopus tentacle, boiled 1 cucumber 20g ginger Salt A small bowl of salted water (1 tbsp salt per 500ml water) <For the vinegar dressing> 50ml water 3 tbsp vinegar 1 tbsp sugar 2 tbsp soy sauce A pinch of salt 3g dried bonito shavings [Method] 1. Cut the boiled octopus tentacles. Grate the ginger. 2. Sprinkle cucumber with salt, and roll it in the salt. Then, rinse off the salt, and then cut the cucumber, jabara style, serpent's belly cut. Make narrow regular cuts, but don't cut all the way through. 3. Cut into 2-cm long pieces, and soak in salted water for 5 minutes. 4. In a saucepan, combine water with vinegar, sugar, soy sauce, salt, and Bonito shavings, bring to a simmer, and skim. Strain through paper towels, and let it cool. 5. Squeeze out excess water from the cucumber. 6. Arrange the cucumber and octopus in a serving bowl, pour the vinegar dressing over it, and top with grated ginger. Clear Soup with Asparagus [Ingredients] *Serves 2 2 spears green asparagus 2 pieces lemon peel 400ml dashi stock 1 tsp soy sauce A pinch of salt [Method] 1. Peel the hard part of the asparagus, thinly slice, blanch, plunge in ice water, and then drain. 2. Season the dashi stock with soy sauce and salt, heat, and add the asparagus just to warm through. 3. Ladle into serving bowls, and top with lemon peel.