Grilled eggplant skewers with fresh herbs and nuoc cham sauce

This recipe is by Nathan Houpapa, the executive chef of Cafe Hanoi, an award-winning Vietnamese restaurant in Auckland's CBD.

See more of his BBQ recipes here

• Grilled fish with chilli & galangal marinade

• Lemongrass sesame pork with fast-pickled cucumber

For this recipe, serve the skewers with the nuoc cham on the side as a dipping sauce.

Eggplant skewers

4 long	Asian eggplants, (available from Asian markets) (Main)
¾ cup	Coconut amino sauce, (or soy sauce)
¼ cup	Rice vinegar
2 Tbsp	Minced garlic
1 handful	Coriander leaves, chopped (Main)
1 handful	Mint leaves, chopped (Main)

Vegetarian nuoc cham dipping sauce

100 ml	Coconut amino sauce, (or soy sauce) (Main)
100 ml	Water
30 ml	Rice vinegar
1	Lime, juice only
1 Tbsp	Brown sugar
2 cloves	Garlic, sliced thinly
2 Tbsp	Red chillies, sliced thinly

Directions

Eggplant skewers

1. Soak a packet of bamboo skewers in water for at least an hour (so they don't burn on the BBQ).
2. Mix the coconut amino sauce (an amazing gluten-free soy alternative available at www.purecoco.co.nz), rice vinegar and garlic together.
3. Slice the eggplants into 2cm rounds and marinate in the liquid for at least 1 hour.
4. Thread eggplant slices onto skewers.
5. Grill a few minutes each side until cooked through, making sure there is a nice bit of char on them as it gives the eggplant a lovely smoky flavor.
6. Roll the skewers in the chopped herbs to cover.

Vegetarian nuoc cham dipping sauce

1. Combine all ingredients together and serve in a bowl.