Instructions: For the Den Miso: Combine miso and sugar in the top of a double boiler. Add sake and mirin, and whisk to combine using a heavy whisk. Cook over boiling water, stirring frequently until the sugar is dissolved and the color begins to darken, 30 to 45 minutes. Remove from heat, and cool. (

Makes about 2 1/2 cups)

Heat oven to 350 degrees. Spread sesame seeds on a baking sheet. Bake until golden, about 5 minutes. Remove to a shallow dish to cool. Increase heat to broil. Line a baking sheet with paper towels. Set aside.

Heat 2 inches of oil to 360 degrees in a large heavy-bottomed saucepan. Halve eggplants lengthwise with flesh side scored in a cross-hatch pattern. Place eggplant in saucepan, skin-side up, and cook for 1 minute. Turn, and cook for 30 seconds. Remove to paper-towel-lined baking sheet to drain.

Transfer eggplant, skin-side down, to an unlined baking sheet. Spread each eggplant half with slightly more than 1 tablespoon den miso. Broil to heat through, about 30 seconds. Sprinkle with toasted sesame seeds, and garnish with pickled ginger and plums.

This recipe yields 6 to 8 servings.

Comments: Miso is a fermented soybean paste that comes in a wide variety of flavors, colors, textures, and aromas. It is used in dressings, for pickling, as a spread for grilled foods, and as a base for soup. All miso falls under three basic categories: komemiso, miso made with rice and soybeans; mugimiso, miso made from barley or rye and soybeans; and mamemiso, miso made from soybeans alone. Miso is produced by crushing boiled soybeans and injecting them with a yeastlike mold cultivated with a barley, soybean, or rice base. The mixture is then allowed to mature from six months to three years. The darker the miso, the longer it has been fermented. Darker miso, which is saltier and stronger, is used in more robust-flavored dishes. The lighter-colored varieties are generally used in more delicate soups and dressings.

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