Vietnamese Grilled Eggplant (Cà Tím Nướng)

Grilled eggplant is a popular dish in Vietnam. The vegetable might be grilled whole or halved, skinned or not, mashed or kept intact. However it is prepared, the eggplant’s creamy, spongy nature soaks up the flavor of the ingredients with which it’s paired. In this recipe, we use slender Chinese or Japanese eggplants, halved and grilled until charred and tender, then finish them with nước chấm (the ubiquitous Vietnamese dressing made with fish sauce, lime, sugar, chilies and garlic) along with quick-pickled vegetables, chopped peanuts and plenty of fresh herbs. Served with steamed jasmine rice, this is a flavor-packed, meat-free main, or offer it as a side to Vietnamese grilled lemon grass pork.