serves 4 1. take 8-10 small Asian eggplants and remove their tops and cut into quarters 2. cut the skin side of the eggplants diagonally without going all the way through 3. soak the pieces in a bowl of water for 10-15 min, then drain and pat dry 4. combine 2 cups of dashi stock, 6 tablespoons of soy sauce, 5 tablespoons of mirin, and 1 tablespoon of sugar in a pan 5. bring the pan to a gentle boil and stir until sugar has dissolved 6. leave the pan to cool 7. Shallow-fry the eggplant in 5 mm of oil until light brown and wilted 8. Drain well, then immerse into the sauce while warm 9. Cover the container and chill in the refrigerator 10. Serve with with green onion