11

2 large long green silken

Thai eggplant (see note)

2 large eggs, at room

temperature

5 king prawns, peeled, tails

intact and deveined

200 gm coarsely minced

chicken, preferably thigh

5 spring onions, thinly sliced

7 coriander stalks, cut into

1cm lengths

1 large red shallot, cut

into julienne

Mint leaves and sliced red

birdseye chilli, to serve

15 gm (¼ cup) dried shrimp,

fi nely ground with a mortar

and pestle

CHILLI-LIME DRESSING

2 tbsp lime juice

1½ tbsp fi sh sauce

3 tsp soft palm sugar

½ birdseye chilli, thinly sliced

1 Preheat a barbecue to

medium. Grill eggplant, turning

occasionally, until blackened and

slightly yielding (20-30 minutes;

skin should peel back without

taking too much fl esh and reveal

a centre that’s a soft but intact,

and smoky but not burnt). Cool,

peel and slice horizontally into

5cm-thick pieces.

2 Meanwhile, cook eggs in

a saucepan of boiling water

until medium-soft (6½ minutes).

Remove, cool completely in

cold water, peel and halve.

3 For dressing, whisk lime

juice, fi sh sauce and palm sugar

in a bowl until sugar dissolves.

Season to taste and add chilli.

4 Poach prawns in a saucepan

of simmering water over medium

heat until just translucent

(1 minute). Remove with a

slotted spoon, drain, and place

in a large bowl. Add chicken to

water and poach until cooked

(3 minutes). Drain, separate with

a fork and add to prawns. Add

onion, coriander and shallot,

and toss to combine.

5 Toss eggplant, prawns and

chicken in a bowl with dressing,

eggs, mint and chilli, and serve

scattered with shrimp.

Note Green eggplant

are available from Asian

grocers; substitute purple

Japanese eggplant.

Wine suggestion Golden,

bottle-aged riesling. ➤

YUM MAKEUA

Grilled eggplant salad with prawns

SERVES 4 // PREP TIME 40 MINS // COOK 35 MINS (PLUS COOLING)

“This eggplant salad has to be my all-time favourite – again, so
simple and so eff ective,” says Anderson. “There are a few steps
to this, but you could easily make the elements ahead of time
and assemble when you’re ready to eat. There are a few diff erent
variations on this salad, some with nam prik pao (Thai chilli jam),
and while I love that too, this is a great version that can be easily
made with few ingredients on hand, and perhaps a few soft
herbs from the garden, and eaten just as quickly. The best way
to grill the eggplant is over charcoal on a barbecue, but they
can also be grilled in the oven or charred on a gas stove.”

GOURMET TRAVELLER 113

Grilled eggplant salad

with prawns