Name: Smoky eggplant salad with mint, red shallot and steamed egg
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 15 min
Total time: 25 min
Yield: 4
Ingredients: 4 free-range eggs, at room temperature; 6 long green Thai eggplant; ¼ cup each of (loosely packed) mint and coriander leaves; 2 red shallots, thinly sliced; 1 green onion, thinly sliced diagonally; 1 clove of garlic, finely chopped; ½ small red chilli, finely chopped; 40 ml lime juice (2 tbsp); 20 ml fish sauce (1 tbsp); To serve: ground dried prawns (see note) and steamed rice (optional)

Smoky eggplant salad with mint, red shallot and steamed egg

Australian Gourmet Traveller light meal recipe for smoky eggplant salad with mint, red shallot and steamed egg

Serves 4

Prep

10M

Cook

15M

Total

25M

Yam makreua yao is a common salad served in Thailand. This version takes inspiration from David Thompson’s Thai Food and is served with steamed egg. Long green Thai eggplant is available from Asian greengrocers – if you can’t find it substitute with Japanese eggplant. If you don’t have a gas stove or barbecue to char the eggplant, roast it in a hot oven until tender – it won’t, however, have quite the subtle smokiness of the charred version.

Ingredients

4 free-range eggs, at room temperature

6 long green Thai eggplant

¼ cup each of (loosely packed) mint and coriander leaves

2 red shallots, thinly sliced

1 green onion, thinly sliced diagonally

1 clove of garlic, finely chopped

½ small red chilli, finely chopped

40 ml lime juice (2 tbsp)

20 ml fish sauce (1 tbsp)

To serve: ground dried prawns (see note) and steamed rice (optional)

Method

Main

1.Place a steamer basket over a saucepan of boiling water (large enough to fit pan snugly without overhanging). Place eggs in basket, cover with steamer lid and steam for 6-7 minutes for semi-soft yolks, then remove from heat and cool. Peel, halve and set aside.

2.Meanwhile, cook eggplant over an open flame, turning occasionally, until charred and soft (about 5 minutes). Transfer to a colander to drain juices, cool, then peel. Combine with herbs, shallot, green onion, garlic, chilli, lime juice and fish sauce. Stir to combine, scatter with ground dried prawns and serve with steamed eggs and rice.