Spicy Eggplant Dip with Lime & Cilantro

Active Time:

25 mins

Total Time:

25 mins

Servings:

Nutrition Profile:

Sesame-Free Nut-Free Dairy-Free Soy-Free Egg-Free Gluten-Free

Jump to Nutrition Facts

The Mediterranean diet has long been deemed one of the healthiest ways to eat for longevity and to help protect against chronic conditions. But it's time to expand our view on what it means to follow the Mediterranean diet with a fresh and more personal perspective. In our spotlight, The New Mediterranean Diet, we share recipes and nutrition advice that represent a more inclusive interpretation of this celebrated eating pattern.

As a Hmong kid growing up in the Midwest, all I wanted when I came home from school was a simple peanut butter and jelly sandwich like all my friends had. But, instead, bowls filled with sauces and dips covered our kitchen table. As a 9-year-old kid, I would look at these bowls in disgust, thinking, "C'mon Mom! Why can't I just be like the other kids?"

Fast-forward almost 30 years later, and I crave one of those dips—the roasted eggplant dip that Mom always made. Now whenever I eat it, swiping a ball of purple sticky rice into the wonderful eggplant dip before popping it into my mouth, it sends me back to a warm summer day right after we came back from the small farm garden that my family had about 30 minutes away from our house.

While similar to a baba ganoush, Mom's roasted eggplant dip has a few key elements that are different. And since it's my mom's recipe, I think that it's better than any other baba ganoush-style dish out there. Here's why: First, she used Japanese or Thai eggplant that she grew in her garden, which I find to be less bitter than larger globe eggplant. Plus she roasted the eggplant over a fire, which infused it with a smokiness that balanced the bright cilantro and acidic lime juice. The final key is the heat from the Thai chiles—that little amount of heat will help open up your taste buds, so you can truly enjoy all of the flavors permeating through the dish. Bird's eye chiles are different from other chiles because the heat hits you later, after all of the other flavors have had a chance to dance on your tongue.

This dish isn't complete without its sidekick, purple sticky rice (see Note). The beauty of Hmong food is that one dish will never stand alone. Hmong food is all about the balance of each dish that makes another dish come alive. The slightly sweet purple sticky rice works as a perfect canvas for the smoky-tart-spicy-rich roasted eggplant dip.

I believe that food is a universal language we can all use, a common thread that we have as humans to connect with each other. Mom knew nothing about Mediterranean cooking, but when she made this roasted eggplant dish for us, she was unknowingly flirting with baba ganoush. It was the snack that was always around when we needed a little something to hold us over until dinner. I remember going to a Mediterranean restaurant in college and ordering baba ganoush, having no idea what it was from the menu description. When I took a bite, all I could think about was Mom's dip. It brought me back to my childhood kitchen table.

Cook Mode (Keep screen awake)

Ingredients

1 ½ pounds Japanese eggplant, halved
3 tablespoons canola oil, divided
2 tablespoons chopped shallot
2 cloves garlic, coarsely chopped
2 Thai chiles, coarsely chopped
¼ teaspoon kosher salt
1 cup chopped fresh cilantro, plus more for garnish
Juice of 1 lime
2 teaspoons fish sauce
2 teaspoons oyster sauce (see Note)
Crushed roasted peanuts for garnish (optional)

Directions

Preheat grill to medium-high.
Brush cut sides of eggplant with 1 tablespoon oil. Grill the eggplant, cut-side down, until charred, 3 to 4 minutes. Flip and grill until softened, 3 to 4 minutes more. Transfer to a cutting board. When cool enough to handle, scoop the flesh out of the skins (discard the skins).
Combine shallot, garlic, chiles to taste and salt in a mortar. Mash with a pestle into a coarse paste. Add cilantro and mash to combine. Add the eggplant flesh and mash to combine. Mix in lime juice, fish sauce, oyster sauce and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil. (Alternatively, place shallot, garlic and chiles to taste on a clean cutting board. Using the tines of a fork or the side of a chef's knife, mash into a coarse paste. Add cilantro and mash until bruised. Place the eggplant flesh in a medium bowl and coarsely mash. Add the cilantro mixture and mix well. Add lime juice, fish sauce, oyster sauce and the remaining 2 tablespoons oil; mix until well combined.) Garnish with peanuts and more cilantro, if desired.

To make ahead

Refrigerate for up to 1 day.

Notes

To make purple sticky rice, use 1 part black rice to 6 parts sweet rice (sometimes labeled glutinous rice). Place the rice in a fine-mesh sieve and rinse until the water runs clear. Soak the rice overnight in cold water or in warm water for 2-3 hours. Drain the rice. Coat a bamboo steamer with cooking spray then line the bottom with large vegetable leaves such as cabbage or collards. Spread the rice over the vegetable leaves. Cover with another layer of vegetable leaves. Bring 2 inches of water to a boil in a pot that will hold the steamer. Fit a small rack in the bottom (you want the steamer to sit above the water, not in it). Reduce heat to a simmer and carefully place the steamer on the rack. Cover the pot and steam until the rice is tender, 20 to 30 minutes.

People with celiac disease or gluten sensitivity should use oyster sauce that is labeled "gluten-free."

Originally appeared: EatingWell.com, July 2023

Nutrition Facts (per serving)

75	Calories
5g	Fat
6g	Carbs
1g	Protein

Nutrition Facts
Servings Per Recipe 8
Serving Size 1/4 cup
Calories 75
% Daily Value *
Total Carbohydrate 6g	2%
Dietary Fiber 3g	11%
Total Sugars 3g
Protein 1g	2%
Total Fat 5g	6%
Vitamin A 157IU	3%
Vitamin C 4mg	4%
Vitamin E 1mg	9%
Folate 22mcg	6%
Vitamin K 13mcg	11%
Sodium 222mg	10%
Calcium 13mg	1%
Magnesium 16mg	4%
Potassium 226mg	5%
Omega 3 1g

Nutrition information is calculated by a registered dietitian using an ingredient database but should be considered an estimate.

* Daily Values (DVs) are the recommended amounts of nutrients to consume each day. Percent Daily Value (%DV) found on nutrition labels tells you how much a serving of a particular food or recipe contributes to each of those total recommended amounts. Per the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the daily value is based on a standard 2,000 calorie diet. Depending on your calorie needs or if you have a health condition, you may need more or less of particular nutrients. (For example, it’s recommended that people following a heart-healthy diet eat less sodium on a daily basis compared to those following a standard diet.)

(-) Information is not currently available for this nutrient. If you are following a special diet for medical reasons, be sure to consult with your primary care provider or a registered dietitian to better understand your personal nutrition needs.