Eggplant salad

Directions

1. Grill the eggplants on charcoal (or salamander) on high heat, or broil them at 220 degrees C for about 10 minutes or until the skin is blistered and you are able to insert a skewer through them easily.
2. Set aside to cool completely or place them inside a paper bag so the skin will come off very easily when peeled.
3. On medium high heat, cook minced pork in a saucepan with a tablespoon of water. Keep stirring until it’s cooked through. Set aside.
4. In a small pot, quickly blanch the prawns in boiling water for 5-10 seconds or until they just turn pink. Reserve a couple of tablespoons of the prawn broth to add to the dressing as needed; set aside. (Another variation is that you coat the prawns lightly in all purpose flour and deep fry them. This will add a different texture to the dish but it is best to fry them right before serving to preserve the crispiness.)
5. To make the dressing, pound chillies, garlic, coriander roots, and sugar together in a mortar and pestle until there is no big chunk of garlic. Add lime juice, garlic pickle water, and fish sauce into the mortar. Add a tablespoon of the reserved prawn broth. Use the pestle to swirl around to mix well and dissolve all the sugar.
6. Peel the eggplants and cut them into 2.5 cm or bite size pieces.
7. In a medium mixing bowl, add the eggplants, pork, prawns, and some of the dressing. Toss lightly and taste. Add more dressing as desired, or add some prawn broth if you prefer a lighter flavour.
8. Plate up and serve, top with boiled egg wedges and coriander leaves.