Stewed Eggplants (Nasu no agebitashi)

The autumn nasu (eggplant or aubergine) with tender skin and firm flesh is considered to be a delicacy in Japan. A famous Japanese saying "Akinasu wa yome ni kuwasuna" meaning "Don't let the bride eat the autumn eggplant" is  said to mean that the autumn eggplant is too good for the bride whose status is the lowest in the family. Of course this is in the past where the young couple had to live with the husband's parents and the bride often had to withstand the ill-treatments from the mother-in-law.  

But there is another theory about this saying meaning the eggplant is said to have a cooling effect on the body which means that eating too much eggplants would have a negative effect on a child-bearing age of a young woman. Which ever the case is, eggplants are the most common vegetable in this season.

The purple color of the skin comes from a type of polyphyenol called anthocyanin. It's an potent antioxidant known to prevent cancer and high blood pressure.

I love nasu and stewed nasu is one of my favorite dishes. You can make it by deep frying the nasu and then marinating it in the sauce. This can be served hot or cold.