Rice Wine and Soy Eggplant Salad

From issue #5.
Photography by Photography by Nick Tresidder.
Rice Wine and Soy Eggplant Salad

Serves: 6 - 8

INGREDIENTS

800 grams eggplant
2 tablespoons sesame oil
2 tablespoons vegetable oil
150 grams soba or somen noodles

Dressing
¼ cup soy sauce
¼ cup Shaoxing rice wine
2 cloves garlic, crushed
1 tablespoon fish sauce
1 tablespoon lime juice
1 tablespoon brown sugar
1 tablespoon grated ginger

To finish
2 tablespoons toasted sesame seeds
¼ cup each mint and coriander leaves
2 tablespoons crispy fried shallots
3 spring onions, finely sliced
1 red chilli, seeded and sliced

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 200ºC.

Slice the eggplant into long wedges and brush both sides with the combined sesame and vegetable oil.
Season and place on a lined baking tray. Cook in the oven until tender, turning once. Set aside to cool.
Bring a pot of water to the boil, add the noodles and cook for 4 minutes. Drain and refresh under cold water. Drain again and toss with a little sesame oil.

Combine the dressing ingredients in a bowl. Toss the noodles in half the dressing and 1 tablespoon of sesame seeds. Place on a serving platter. Into the same bowl put the eggplant, sesame seeds, herbs, shallots, spring onions and red chilli. Toss with the remaining dressing. Arrange the eggplant on top of the noodles. Serves 6-8