• Soak the bamboo skewers in water for twenty minutes or so to prevent them burning whilst cooking.
• Chop the aubergine into bite sized chunks. Add to the bowl containing the yakitori sauce (see below) and stir until everything is well coated.
  1 large aubergine (eggplant)
• Leave to marinade for twenty to thirty minutes, giving an occasional stir.
• Slice the spring onions into 4-5 cm (2 inch) lengths, setting the leafy green ends aside. Add to the aubergine bowl and stir.
  4 spring onions (scallions)
• With clean hands, takeout an aubergine chunk and thread it onto a skewer. Follow this with a piece of spring onion. Repeat the process ending with a chunk of aubergine. Depending on the size of your skewer you should get 4-6 pieces of aubergine interspersed with 3-5 slices of onion.

  Hang on to the marinade for later drizzling.
• Roast for 15-20 minutes at 180℃ (350℉) in an air fryer, turning once half way through. They should be tender and slightly charred allover when done. Alternatively, place the skewers on a preheated grill, griddle or barbecue and cook for about 8-10 minutes. Turn them occasionally, until the aubergines are tender and slightly charred allover.
• Serve straight away just as they are or with a drizzle of remaining sauce. For a more substantial meal, accompany with rice, edamame beans and the pickled carrot salad. Drizzle any remaining sauce over the rice. Scatter toasted sesame seeds or furikake over the top.

Yakitori Sauce

• In a medium sized bowl, mix all of the sauce ingredients together.
  1 tbsp tamari (affiliate link), 1 tbsp mirin*, 1 tbsp brown rice vinegar*, 2 tsp maple syrup*, 1 clove garlic, 1 thumb root ginger

Carrot Salad (optional)

• Whilst the aubergine is marinading, scrub the carrot, then cut it into matchstick sized pieces with a sharp knife. Place the pieces into a small bowl.
  1 carrot
• Likewise, cut the green leafy parts remaining from the spring onions used in the main recipe into matchsticks. Add to the bowl.
  spring onions (scallions)
• Finely slice the chilli lengthways, so it has the same hight as the carrots, but is much thinner. Add to the bowl.
  ½ small red chilli
• Squeeze the lime juice over the carrots, add the maple syrup and salt and give everything a good stir. Leave to lightly pickle, then give another good stir just before serving.
  ½ lime, 1 tsp pure maple syrup, 1 pinch sea salt