Starter/Appetizer

Cambodian Chargrilled Eggplant with Pork Minced

Ingredients:       - 500 grammes of long eggplant

-                                                        - 100 grammes of Pork mince ( 70% lean pork, 30% fat)

-                                                        - 2 cloves garlic, minced

-                                                        - 1 shallot, minced

-                                                       -  1 spring onion cut into fine rings

-                                                       -  1 tablespoon cooking oil

-                                                       - 1  teaspoon of caster sugar

-                                                       -  1 teaspoon fish sauce

-                                                       -  1-1/2 teaspoon lemon juice

-                                                       -  Mint leaves for garnish

Seasoning for the pork: -   Pinch of ground white pepper

-                                                                                            -   1/8 teaspoon flaky sea salt

-                                                                                            -   1/8 teaspoon caster sugar

-                                                                                            -   1/2 teaspoon corn flour

-                                                                                            -   1/2 tablespoon water

Method:

1. Put the egg plants onto the rack of a roasting tin and grill them on the highest shelf in the oven with 200C till they are very soft and charred. Turn every now and then to make sure both sides are evenly grilled.
2. While the egg plants are in the oven, season the pork mince with the seasoning ingredients and set aside. Cut the garlic cloves, the shallots and the spring onions and set aside.
3. When the skin of egg plants are burnt and wrinkled, use a pair of tongs to check if they are very soft. Take them out of the oven and let them cool down. When they are cool to touch, slit each one open in the middle and scrape out the soft part of the eggplant with a spoon and put them on a serving plate. Discard the skin and the stringy part near the stem.
4. Heat a frying pan in medium heat and add in the cooking oil, when the oil starting to become hot, put in the garlic and onion and sautéed them till they got transparent. Put in the pork mince and sautéed for a few minutes, make sure you break down the crumbs. While the pork mince is almost cooked, add in the fish sauce and lemon juice, sautéed for a few second and add the sugar.
5. Make sure the sugar is melted and the pork mince are completely cooked, add in the spring onions and stir fry it for a few seconds.
6. Put the cooked pork mince on top of the eggplants, garnish it with mint leaves and serve. 

Tips:

1.     Long egg plant is preferred because it is much easier to yield the soft centre part.

2.     Eggplant could be grilled in a bbq or stove top instead of an oven

3.     Pork mince should not be totally lean, at least 30% fat gives a lot of flavour and smooth texture.