Asian Eggplant Salad | First Day of the Pig Year

There is no better time to cook a global delight than on the first day of the Lunar New Year of the Pig. Pick the Asian eggplant. Char a few of them over the burners of a gas stove until the skin turns black and blistered. Peel the skin off after they cool. Arrange the eggplant strips in a shallow bowl. Mix the fish sauce with the juice of a lime, sugar, chili flakes and minced garlic. Pour the sauce all over the eggplants and let them marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours. Here you have an Asian eggplant salad to join in for the auspicious start of the Year of the Pig.

Besides, grilling is my favorite way to cook eggplants. You may not think there are similarities between baba ganoush and Asian eggplant salad. We are one big melting pot of world cuisines and humanity!

If you are missing the pork, you have to give the pork and ginger pot stickers a try. However, the Asian eggplant salad has no meat, no gluten and no fat. But it’s full flavored. If you are so inclined to skip the brown sugar in the sauce, go ahead. Or substitute with honey or maple syrup. It’s all good!

The Pig is the twelfth of all zodiac animals. According to one myth, the Jade Emperor said the order would be decided by the order in which they arrived to his party. Pig was late because he overslept; he was the last one and could only take twelfth place.

Don’t despair, my friend. Pigs are very lovable, with their chubby faces and big ears. For all we know, pigs have a beautiful personality and are blessed with good fortune in life. They might not stand out in the crowd — very much like the Asian eggplant salad I’m presenting today. However, they are earthy and enjoy life at its fullness.

Let’s have our food selections be equally earthy, easy and honest-to-goodness delicious!

Print Recipe

Grilled Asian Eggplant Salad

Serves: 6

Ingredients

• 1 1/2 pounds long thin Asian eggplants
• 3 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 lime
• cilantro, chives, parsley, fennel or green onions
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 garlic clove, minced
• 1 teaspoon chile flakes

Instructions

1

Prick the eggplants all over with a fork and singe them over the burner of a gas stove, turning constantly, for about 10 minutes until the skin is black and blistered. Allow to cool.

2

Carefully peel the skin away from the eggplant. Pull the eggplant into strips and lay them in a shallow bowl.

3

Mix the fish sauce with the juice of the lime, the sugar, and couple of tablespoons of water (or liquid saved from cooling the eggplants). Add the minced garlic and chile flakes. Pour over the eggplant and marinate in the refrigerator for a few hours. When ready to serve, garnish with a few leaves of chopped cilantro or chives.

Notes

Adapted from My Kitchen Year by Ruth Reichl