Many people dislike the eggplant’s spongy texture, but that’s what makes this fruit – yes, it is actually a berry even though it is generally thought of as a vegetable –appealing to cooks; it absorbs the flavour of other ingredients. It's also notorious for absorbing oil when it's fried, but that's not a problem with this recipe, where the eggplant is steamed.

Mix the cooked eggplant and the sauce at least 30 minutes before you plan to serve the dish, so the flavours can blend. This recipe makes a lot but the dish keeps well in the fridge. When you want to eat the leftovers, you might need to mix in a little hot water, to thin out the sauce.

Buy Chinese or Japanese eggplants that are as thin as possible. If they are too large in diameter, you will need to cut them lengthwise into quarters, rather than halves.

When buying sesame paste and sesame oil, look at the ingredients label: both should contain only sesame seeds. With the former, some producers often add peanuts (and/or starch); with the latter, they sometimes mix in other types of edible oils. If you can't find Chinese or Japanese sesame paste, substitute tahini made from toasted sesame seeds.

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