By Martha Rose Shulman
- Total Time
- 1 hour 30 minutes
- Rating
- 5(130)
- Notes
- Read community notes
This dish is adapted from a grilled eggplant salad recipe in Jeffrey Alford and Naomi Duguid’s wonderful book "Seductions of Rice" (Artisan, New York). Jasmine rice is an aromatic, soft, long-grain rice widely used in Thailand. The Thai dishes that employ fragrant rice are also well seasoned, so this rice is traditionally cooked without salt. I like to use my panini grill for grilling eggplant.
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Ingredients
Yield:Serves four
- 1cup Thai jasmine rice
- Water
- Salt to taste optional
- 1½pounds long, thin Japanese eggplants, or 1 large globe eggplant, sliced about ¼ inch thick slice on the diagonal if using long, thin eggplants
- 2tablespoons canola oil
- 1large plum tomato, diced
- ¼cup finely chopped fresh mint
- ¼cup chopped cilantro
- 5tablespoons fresh lime juice
- 2tablespoons Thai fish sauce
- ¼teaspoon sugar
- ½ to 1serrano or bird chile, to taste, finely minced
For the Dressing
Ingredient Substitution Guide
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
292 calories; 8 grams fat; 1 gram saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 5 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 51 grams carbohydrates; 7 grams dietary fiber; 8 grams sugars; 6 grams protein; 717 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Step
1
Place the rice in a bowl, cover with water and swirl the rice around. Drain and repeat this step two or three more times until the water runs clear. Drain, place the rice in a medium-sized, heavy saucepan, and add enough water to cover the rice by a little more than ½ inch. (Measure by placing the tip of your index finger on the surface of the rice; the water should come to just below the first joint.) Add salt if desired, and bring to a boil. Allow the water to boil hard for about 15 seconds, then reduce the heat, cover and cook over very low heat for 15 minutes. Do not lift the lid during this time.
Step
2
Turn off the heat, and leave the lid on the rice. Let stand for five to ten minutes. Remove the lid, and gently turn the rice with a paddle to bring the rice up from the bottom of the pot. Return the lid, and let stand while you prepare the eggplant.
Step
3
Heat a panini grill to high, or prepare a hot grill. Brush the eggplant slices with canola oil. Grill for three to four minutes in the panini grill (five to eight minutes per side on a regular grill) until the slices are slightly browned and tender all the way through. As each batch is done, remove to a bowl. When all of the eggplant has been grilled, cover the bowl tightly and allow the eggplant to steam and eventually to cool.
Step
4
Coarsely chop the eggplant, and toss together with the herbs and diced tomato. Mix together the lime juice, fish sauce, sugar and chile. Toss with the eggplant mixture. Allow to sit for 30 minutes to an hour, then taste and adjust seasoning.
Step
5
Place the rice on a platter or on individual plates, top with the eggplant mixture and serve.
Tip
- Advance preparation: The eggplant salad will keep for a day in the refrigerator. The cooked rice will keep for three or four days in the refrigerator.Martha Rose Shulman can be reached at martha-rose-shulman.com.
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130
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Cooking Notes
Elizabeth Miller
I would try lime juice - you may find the amount just right.
Ellie H.
Really enjoyed, ideal with jasmine rice. It is true that the salad doesn't keep longer than a day - it totally lost flavor after that time (although it was certainly still edible). I had a very hot serrano and only used 1/4 (de-seeded), but the heat dissipated in the finished dish and I could have used 1/2 or whole. Don't be put off by the smell of fish sauce :) We served it warm.
Amy A
This was amazing! I also didn’t have time for it to cool completely. Didn’t stop us from eating it and it was absolutely gone! I used a Thai chili because I like heat and it came out perfectly balanced. YUM! Will make again this week!
Jeana
So simple and delicious. You can absolutely do this in ~35 min if you don't have time to let the eggplant marinate. Swapped the sugar for honey.
Jeffrey Maret
I love lemon, but 5 tablespoons of lemon juice is a bit much. Everyone commented on how intense the lemon was so I would suggest reducing to 3 TB and cutting back a bit on the sugar.
Elizabeth Miller
I would try lime juice - you may find the amount just right.
Ellie H.
Really enjoyed, ideal with jasmine rice. It is true that the salad doesn't keep longer than a day - it totally lost flavor after that time (although it was certainly still edible). I had a very hot serrano and only used 1/4 (de-seeded), but the heat dissipated in the finished dish and I could have used 1/2 or whole. Don't be put off by the smell of fish sauce :) We served it warm.
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