Ingredients §

• 3 eggplants
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• 1 tablespoon rice vinegar
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce
• 1 long red chilli, seeded and chopped
• 4 garlic cloves
• 1/2 handful Thai basil
• Black pepper

Method §

Char-grill eggplant over a direct flame, either on a barbecue or the flame of your gas cook top. Cook until the eggplant is blackened and blistered on all sides and the flesh has softened.

Combine sugar, vinegar, fish sauce, garlic and chilli. Mix until sugar is completely dissolved.

Remove the eggplants from heat and let cool. Then peel, discard blackened skin and squeeze the bitter juices from the flesh. Roughly chop and place in a bowl. Pour over the fish sauce mixture and toss through the basil.

Serve at room temperature with cracked black pepper.