(Thai Eggplant Salad)
Thai dishes known as yams are often translated into English as "salads", perhaps for lack of a better word. Like salads, yams are often served at room temperature and include fresh herbs and raw vegetables. Unlike salads, however, which Westerners often eat to refresh their palates, yams are anything but shy in flavor. In Thailand they are often served when people get together for a glass of beer and want something to nibble on.
In this yam, Asian eggplants - long and narrow and ranging from deep purple to pale violet - are broiled and tossed with shallots, Vietnamese coriander, and a dressing that is at once salty, sour, spicy, and slightly sweet. After you have made the salad once, you may want to experiment with the balance of seasonings, perhaps increasing the chili heat.
Vietnamese coriander is known in Vietnam as rau ram and in Thailand as pak chi wietnam. It is usually sold in open bunches or in cellophane and can be found at Vietnamese and Thai markets.
