Japanese Food and Why Everything Comes With Ginger

A healthful spice, that makes everything nice

Illustrations by Kaki Okumura

Some eggplants, a nub of ginger

We forgot to go grocery shopping and our fridge was looking sparse. We didn’t have many vegetables at home, besides some eggplants and ginger. Can you even cook anything good with just that?

But turns out my mom had a plan — she took the eggplants and put it on the grill, cooked for about 20 minutes on high heat. Then she grated the ginger, served it with the cooked eggplants, and dressed it in a noodle soup base. A delicious vegetable dish, done.

Photo by Kaki Okumura

Japanese Grilled Eggplant with Ginger

• 1 eggplant per person
• 1 piece of ginger, about 15 grams
• Noodle soup base

1. Wash the eggplants, and place them whole on a grill, toaster, or pan. Not a lot of oil is necessary, just enough to prevent sticking. Cook for 20–25 minutes, or until soft — the grill will take less time than the pan, and the pan will take less time than the toaster.
2. Grate the ginger…