Community recipe
Lao-Inspired Charred Eggplant Dip with Sticky Rice and Herbs
A smoky, spoonable eggplant dip inspired by Lao jeow mak keua, brightened with lime, herbs, and a touch of fish sauce. Steamed sticky rice turns it into a satisfying shared meal.
- Serves
- 4
- Prep
- 20 min
- Cook
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- medium
Get ready
Ingredients
- 45 ml lime juice
- 30 ml fish sauces
- 10 ml brown sugar
- 1 tsp chili flake
- 60 g cilantro, roughly chopped
- 40 g mint, roughly chopped
- 120 g shallots, peeled
- 20 g garlics, peeled
- 280 g sticky rice, rinsed and soaked for 2 hours
- 600 g eggplants, whole
Make it
Instructions
- 01
Make the bright herb dressing
In a serving bowl, combine 45 ml lime juice, 30 ml fish sauce, 10 ml brown sugar, and 1 tsp chili flakes. Stir until the sugar dissolves. Fold in 60 g cilantro and 40 g mint, then set the dressing aside.
- 02
Prepare the aromatics
Thinly slice 120 g shallot and mince 20 g garlic. Keep half the shallot and half the garlic separate for charring; stir the remainder into the herb dressing.
- 03
Finish and serve
Rinse 280 g sticky rice until the water runs mostly clear, then steam it in a lined steamer over simmering water until tender and glossy. While it steams, pierce 600 g eggplant a few times and char it with the reserved aromatics on a grill or under a broiler, turning as needed, until the eggplant is collapsed and deeply browned. Rest until cool enough to handle, peel away the skin, and mash the flesh with the charred aromatics. Stir the mash into the dressing, taste, and serve warm with the sticky rice.
