The Kamo Eggplant, or Kamo nasu, is a celebrated summer time vegetable from Kyoto. You’ll be able to spot it immediately by its giant, spherical form. As a key meals in conventional cooking, this vegetable is deeply related to the town’s seasonal meals. This text will deal with what makes this eggplant selection a central piece of Kyoto’s meals tradition, tracing its historical past, describing its particular traits, and telling you the place you’ll be able to strive its most well-known recipe.
What’s Kamo Nasu?

The Kamo nasu could be very totally different from the lengthy, skinny purple eggplants most individuals know. It’s a giant, fats, rounded eggplant, in regards to the dimension and form of a grapefruit, and has a deep, shiny purple pores and skin. They worth this for its texture, which is agency and dense, typically described as meaty.
Importantly, its flesh holds its form properly and doesn’t simply break down when cooked for a very long time. This agency texture, paired with a refined, superb taste and pure juiciness, makes it extremely prized in conventional Japanese cooking. Its title comes from the Kamigamo and Nishikamo areas of Kyoto the place it first grew.
Origin of Kamo nasu

This distinctive vegetable is likely one of the designated Kyo-yasai, or conventional heritage greens of Kyoto. Its historical past connects to the Kamigamo and Nishikamo areas of the town, which is the way it bought its title. Thus, rising this eggplant has traditionally been centered in these northern components of Kyoto.
Kamo nasu is a seasonal image of summer time, particularly common throughout the Gion Competition in July. Its lasting attraction is due to its superior high quality and its excellent use in dishes like Dengaku. As a result of it wants particular soil and local weather to develop, it stays a specialty meals whose taste proclaims the height of the summer time season in Kyoto.
The place to Style This Specialty
Jyūnikiya Kan (十二季家 歓)

Essentially the most well-known strategy to take pleasure in Kamo nasu is in Nasu Dengaku. On this dish, the eggplant is reduce in half, calmly fried, after which topped with a candy, wealthy miso paste earlier than being grilled. An ideal place to do that dish is Jyūnikiya Kan (十二季家 歓), conveniently situated contained in the Kyoto Abanti constructing close to Kyoto Station. This restaurant provides many sorts of seasonal Japanese dishes from the area, making it a really perfect place to pattern this basic preparation. Moreover, their Kamo nasu no Dengaku highlights the eggplant’s meaty texture and delicate taste, which fits completely with the savory-sweet miso glaze.
Abstract
The Kamo nasu actually represents the very best of Kyoto’s seasonal cooking. Its bodily traits—the right roundness, agency texture, and juicy flesh. Therefore, making it a necessary summer time ingredient that tastes glorious even with easy cooking.
The basic Dengaku recipe honors its prime quality by bringing out its taste and texture, making a dish that feels each easy and splendid. This helpful eggplant helps preserve the custom of sunshine, flavorful summer time meals in Kyoto going robust. You’ll be able to check out Agedashi tofu, Daikon, and plenty of extra.
You may as well search for on this article the totally different Kyoto’s conventional greens or popularly often called Kyo Yasai.
FAQ
- What’s Kamo nasu?
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A big, spherical eggplant from Kyoto. It has thick pores and skin and agency flesh.
- When is it in season?
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Summer season, primarily July to September.
- How is it totally different from different eggplants?
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Spherical form, dense texture, much less oil absorption, and powerful taste.
- How do I decide an excellent one?
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Select shiny pores and skin, a contemporary inexperienced stem, and a fruit that feels heavy for its dimension.
- How can I cook dinner it?
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Grill, roast, fry (tempura), simmer, or use in miso dengaku.
- Ought to I peel it?
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The pores and skin is edible. You’ll be able to peel it or reduce shallow slits to assist it cook dinner evenly.
- Any prep ideas?
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Cook dinner quickly after chopping. If bitter, sprinkle salt, wait a couple of minutes, then pat dry.
- How lengthy does it preserve?
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Within the fridge vegetable drawer, 2–4 days. For longer storage, cook dinner then freeze.
- Is it wholesome?
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Sure. Low in energy and an excellent supply of fiber and potassium.
- What can I take advantage of if I can’t discover Kamo nasu?
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Use different spherical or globe eggplants. Texture and style will differ barely.
- The place can I purchase it?
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Kyoto markets, summer time supermarkets, and a few specialty shops or importers overseas.
- Finest easy strategy to eat it?
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Grill or broil and prime with miso paste (dengaku) or serve with ponzu.