Abigail’s mother has been making this Kadazandusun salad at home for as long as she can remember. Her mother’s fond childhood memory associated with this dish was Abigail’s grandma charring the eggplant on a wood-fired stove once the rice was done cooking. Her grandfather’s method, however, was to make use of the fire from burning weeds after clearing their vegetable patch.
Linugu tanggalung kinayan limau om bawing (Roasted eggplant with lemon basil salad)
by Abigail TeoAbigail’s mother has been making this Kadazandusun salad at home for as long as she can remember. Her mother’s fond childhood memory associated with this dish was Abigail’s grandma charring the eggplant on a wood-fired stove once the rice was done cooking. Her grandfather’s method, however, was to make use of the fire from burning weeds after clearing their vegetable patch.
Servings: 4
Prep time: Quick
Servings: 4
Prep time: Quick
Ingredients
¼ cup lemon basil leaves, trimmed off the stem
1½ tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
2 cili padi, sliced (optional)
3-4 calamansi limes, juiced
2 medium Chinese/Japanese eggplant (the long variety)
Salt to taste
Directions
- Turn the burner on to a low flame. Place the eggplants on the stove grates directly above the flame. Cook the eggplants for about 15-20 minutes over the direct flame. Use a pair of tongs to constantly turn the eggplants so that they cook evenly.
- Once the eggplant skins have charred black, set aside to rest for about 5 minutes. Then peel the skin off, reserving the flesh in a large bowl.
- Using a fork, mash the eggplant flesh against the side of the bowl. Stir in the lemon basil leaves, garlic, onions, cili padi (if using), lime juice, and salt. Taste it now: It should be smoky and fresh, sour and savoury.
- Let it rest for at least another 5 minutes for the flavours to settle. This can be served warm, at room temperature, or even chilled.
Tips
- If a gas burner is unavailable, there are two other options to cook the eggplants:
1. Char the eggplants on a stovetop pan or grill without oil, on medium-high heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly brush the eggplants with vegetable oil and place on an oven-safe tray. Prick the eggplants several times through the skin with a thin blade or fork to prevent it from exploding while roasting. Roast the eggplants in the oven, turning it every 10-15 minutes for about 30 minutes in total, or until the skin begins to blacken. - Only trim off the stalk of the eggplants after peeling, as the stem will help you to grip the eggplant while you peel the skin off.
- Roughly tear the lemon basil leaves right before adding it to the salad, to release more aroma and flavour.
Ingredients
¼ cup lemon basil leaves, trimmed off the stem
1½ tsp garlic, finely chopped
1 tbsp shallots, finely chopped
2 cili padi, sliced (optional)
3-4 calamansi limes, juiced
2 medium Chinese/Japanese eggplant (the long variety)
Salt to taste
Directions
- Turn the burner on to a low flame. Place the eggplants on the stove grates directly above the flame. Cook the eggplants for about 15-20 minutes over the direct flame. Use a pair of tongs to constantly turn the eggplants so that they cook evenly.
- Once the eggplant skins have charred black, set aside to rest for about 5 minutes. Then peel the skin off, reserving the flesh in a large bowl.
- Using a fork, mash the eggplant flesh against the side of the bowl. Stir in the lemon basil leaves, garlic, onions, cili padi (if using), lime juice, and salt. Taste it now: It should be smoky and fresh, sour and savoury.
- Let it rest for at least another 5 minutes for the flavours to settle. This can be served warm, at room temperature, or even chilled.
Tips
- If a gas burner is unavailable, there are two other options to cook the eggplants:
1. Char the eggplants on a stovetop pan or grill without oil, on medium-high heat.
2. Preheat the oven to 200°C. Lightly brush the eggplants with vegetable oil and place on an oven-safe tray. Prick the eggplants several times through the skin with a thin blade or fork to prevent it from exploding while roasting. Roast the eggplants in the oven, turning it every 10-15 minutes for about 30 minutes in total, or until the skin begins to blacken. - Only trim off the stalk of the eggplants after peeling, as the stem will help you to grip the eggplant while you peel the skin off.
- Roughly tear the lemon basil leaves right before adding it to the salad, to release more aroma and flavour.
