- 1 pound baby eggplants (6), trimmed and halved lengthwise
- 1 teaspoon kosher salt
- 2 tablespoons soy sauce
- 2 tablespoons mirin (Japanese sweet rice wine)
- 1 1/2 tablespoons vegetable oil
- Peel a 1-inch-wide strip of skin lengthwise from each eggplant half opposite cut side. Sprinkle eggplants with salt on both sides and let drain on a rack set over a shallow baking pan 20 minutes. Rinse eggplants well, then firmly squeeze out moisture and pat dry with paper towels.
- Stir together soy sauce and mirin in a small bowl.
- Heat oil in a 12-inch heavy nonstick skillet over moderate heat until hot but not smoking, then fry eggplants, peeled sides down, until undersides are browned, 5 to 6 minutes.
- Turn over and brush with soy mixture. Fry eggplants until tender, 4 to 6 minutes more, then add remaining soy mixture to skillet and cook, turning eggplants once or twice, until liquid is absorbed, about 2 minutes.