BBQ Zucchini & Eggplant Rice Salad
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BBQ Zucchini & Eggplant Rice Salad
Recipe by Courtney Roulston
Dietaries – Gluten-free, meat-free
Serves – 4
Prep Time – 15 mins
Cooking Time – 20 mins
Ingredients
1 cup basmati rice
2 kaffir lime leaves
3 green zucchinis, halved lengthways
4 Japanese long eggplants (or 2 small round purple eggplants), cut into quarters
4 tbsp Squeaky Gate extra virgin olive oil
2 long red chillies
2 cloves garlic, skins left on
Sea salt
Black pepper
½ cup each of mint, coriander, and Thai basil leaves, torn
1/3 cup shredded coconut
Dressing
1 tbsp brown sugar
2 tbsp fish sauce
Juice of 1 lemon
Method
Place the rice into a pot with 2 cups of water and 1 kaffir lime leaf. Bring it to a simmer and cook until the water has been absorbed. Cover with a lid, turn the heat down to very low, and leave it to steam for 10 minutes. Once cooked, remove the lime leaf, fluff the rice with a fork, and set it aside to cool slightly.
Meanwhile, heat a grill plate over medium heat. Toss the zucchini, eggplant, chillies, and garlic with half of the oil and season with salt. Grill the vegetables for 10 minutes, turning occasionally, until the zucchinis are charred and the chilli and garlic are tender. Remove them and set aside on a tray.
Finely chop the charred chilli and mash the garlic into a paste. Mix in the sugar, fish sauce, lemon juice, and remaining oil to create a fragrant dressing.
Chop the zucchini and eggplant into rough chunks.
Spread the rice onto a serving platter and top it with the grilled vegetables, torn herbs, and toasted coconut. Finely slice the remaining kaffir lime leaf, then sprinkle it over the salad and drizzle with the dressing. Serve warm.
