Hetty says: “This recipe is inspired by the lively, fragrant grilled eggplant dishes in Vietnamese cuisine. Here, spongy eggplants are grilled until silky and tender, and then tossed with nearly nước chấm, my piquant vegan take on this foundational Vietnamese sauce. If you are grilling, the eggplant could also be cooked on a griddle for a smoky edge.

“Load this soba noodle salad with as many herbs as you can handle, for heightened vibrancy and fresh textures. As with all soba noodle salads, I recommend cooking the noodles a day ahead (or at least a few hours prior), tossing in some sesame or neutral oil and storing them in the fridge overnight, as this helps the noodles develop a firmer structure to stand up to the robust dressing.”

Serves 4

Ingredients

7 ounces (200g) soba noodles
2 large eggplants (about 1 ¾ lb/800g)
extra-virgin olive oil
½-inch (1.25cm) piece of ginger, peeled and grated
1 garlic clove, grated
sea salt and black pepper
½ cup (120ml) Nearly Nước Chấm (see below)
1 cup Asian herb leaves, such as Thai basil, Vietnamese mint, cilantro, green onions, perilla leaves, finely sliced
toasted sesame oil, for drizzling
½ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

Method

Position a rack so the food will be about 2 inches (5 cm) from the heat source and preheat the broiler to high.

Bring a large saucepan of salted water to a boil. Add the soba noodles and cook according to the package directions, until al dente. Drain immediately and run under cold water until the noodles are completely cold. Set aside to drain.

Slice the eggplants into discs ½ inch (1.25 cm) thick, then lay them flat and slice them into batons. Place the eggplant on a sheet pan, drizzle with 2–3 tablespoons of olive oil and add the ginger and garlic. Season well with sea salt and broil for 5 minutes, watching the eggplant closely so it doesn’t burn. Flip the eggplant over and broil for another 4–5 minutes, again watching closely, until the eggplant is tender and golden. Remove from the broiler and transfer to a plate. While still warm, pour over the nearly nước chấm and toss to coat.

Combine the eggplant, noodles and herbs in a large bowl and season with sea salt and black pepper. Toss well. Drizzle with sesame oil and serve with the peanuts scattered over the top.

Notes

For gluten-free: use rice vermicelli or mung bean vermicelli

Vegan

Vegetable swap: eggplant for mushrooms

Nearly Nước Chấm

Makes about ½ cup

Ingredients

⅓ cup (80ml) lime juice
2½ tablespoons brown sugar
4 teaspoons soy sauce or tamari
1 garlic clove, grated
1 fresh Thai red chile, finely sliced
½ teaspoon sea salt

To make the nearly nước chấm sauce, combine all the ingredients in a small bowl.

Tenderheart: 3 unique aubergine recipes to add to your repertoire