116 SEPTEMBER 2019
Yunnan-Style Spicy Pork–
Stuffed Eggplant
ACTIVE 35 MIN; TOTAL 45 MIN
SERVES 4This dish is a specialty of shaokao, or
barbecue, cooks in China’s Yunnan prov-
ince, and it leans on a fragrant spice mix-
ture. Use a seedless Japanese eggplant;
Italian varieties are generally too bitter
and may have too many hard seeds.2 large (1^1 / 4 -lb.) seedless eggplants
21 / 2 tsp. Szechuan peppercorns
2 tsp. cumin seeds
1 Tbsp. white peppercorns
1 Tbsp. black cardamom seeds
5 tsp. gochugaru
5 tsp. kosher salt, divided
1 Tbsp. Chinese 13-spice powder or
five-spice powder
2 Tbsp. vegetable oil
2 dried Thai chiles (bird chiles)(^1) / 2 lb. ground pork
(^1) / 4 cup thinly sliced scallions (white
and light green parts only)
2 fresh Thai chiles, thinly sliced
(about 1 tsp.) (optional)
- Preheat a grill to very high (500°F).
Using a fork, prick eggplants all over.
Place eggplants on oiled grates; grill,
covered, turning occasionally, until skin
is slightly charred and flesh is creamy
and pulling away from skin, 15 to 20 min-
utes. Gently transfer to a rimmed baking
sheet, and let cool 10 minutes. - Heat a small skillet over medium.
Add Szechuan peppercorns and cumin
seeds; cook, stirring often, until fragrant,
about 2 minutes. Transfer to a spice
grinder; add white peppercorns and car-
damom seeds. Pulse until finely ground.
Transfer to a medium bowl, and stir in
gochugaru, 4 teaspoons salt, and
13-spice powder until combined. - Heat oil in a wok over medium-high
until just smoking. Add dried chiles; cook
5 seconds. Add ground pork and^1 / 2 tea-
spoon salt; cook, breaking pork up with a
spoon, until just cooked through and
some bits of meat have begun to brown,
about 1 minute and 30 seconds. Add scal-
lions and fresh chiles, if using; cook, stir-
ring constantly, until scallions are slightly
wilted, about 15 seconds. Remove from
heat, and stir in 2 teaspoons reserved
spice mixture. (Reserve remaining spice
mixture for another use.)- Place each roasted eggplant on its side.
Slice into (but not through) each eggplant
lengthwise, opening like a baked potato,
making sure to leave shell of eggplant
intact. Using a pair of kitchen scissors,
cut up flesh of eggplants. Stir^1 / 4 teaspoon
salt into the flesh of each eggplant. (Be
careful not to loosen or incorporate the
charred eggplant skin.) Spoon^2 / 3 cup
pork mixture into each eggplant. Stir
together eggplant flesh and pork mixture.
Serve stuffed eggplants family style.
—GEORGIA FREEDMAN
WINE Earthy, lightly off-dry Pét-Nat: 2016
La Grange Tiphaine Nouveau Nez
MAKE AHEAD Spice mixture can be made
and stored in an airtight container up to 3
days in advance.
Cracked Shrimp with
Pineapple-Habanero Relish
TOTAL 1 HR 10 MIN; SERVES 6Carla Hall’s take on Bahamian cracked
conch yields tender, extra-crispy shrimp
with the help of a rolling pin to flatten and
tenderize the flesh. Hold the shrimp by
the tail when “cracking” them to make
sure the tail doesn’t separate from the
rest of the meat.2 lb. peeled and deveined tail-on raw
large shrimp
Vegetable oil, for frying
2 cups all-purpose flour
(about 8^1 /^2 oz.)
2 Tbsp. cornstarch
1 tsp. paprika
11 / 2 tsp. kosher salt, divided, plus more
to taste
1 tsp. black pepper, divided
2 large eggs(^1) / (^2) cup evaporated milk
Simmered Plantains with
Coconut Milk and Palm Sugar
PHOTO P. 102
ACTIVE 25 MIN; TOTAL 35 MIN
SERVES 4
Use perfectly ripe plantains for this
recipe; seek out fruits that are dull
yellow-orange and blackened in spots.
They should still feel slightly firm when
you squeeze them, like an unripe
banana. Alternatively, purchase unripe
plantains and let them ripen for a few
days at room temperature.
2 very ripe plantains (about 1^1 / 4
lb.), peeled and cut diagonally
into^1 / 2 -inch-thick slices
11 / 2 cups well-shaken and stirred
unsweetened coconut milk
11 / 2 cups water
(^1) / 4 cup palm sugar or firmly packed
dark brown sugar, plus more for
garnish
(^1) / 4 tsp. kosher salt
2 fresh or thawed frozen pandan
leaves, each tied into a knot, or 1
Tbsp. vanilla extract
Place plantains, coconut milk, 1^1 / 2 cups
water, palm sugar, salt, and pandan
leaves in a large saucepan. Bring to a
boil over medium-high, stirring often.
(Don’t let the coconut milk boil for
more than a few seconds or it might
curdle.) Immediately reduce heat to
low; simmer gently, stirring occasion-
ally, until plantains are fork-tender but
still hold their shape, 3 to 6 minutes.
Remove from heat; set aside to cool
until liquid is just warm. Discard
pandan leaves; ladle mixture evenly
into 4 shallow bowls. Sprinkle with palm
sugar to garnish, and serve warm.
—JAMES OSELAND
NOTE Pandan leaves are often used to
flavor desserts with their sweet almond
and vanilla flavor. The fresh leaves can
be chopped or tied into knots and
boiled and are often used in rice,
curries, and as wrappers for barbecued
dishes. Find them at amazon.com.
RECIPES FROM THE ROAD from p. 113