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From the Publisher

Tam Makhuea ตำมะเขือ

A Pounded Salad Of Grilled Eggplant

I watched the vendors, an aged couple at Nan’s evening market, make several orders of tam makhuea, a savory, smoky northern Thai salad of grilled eggplant. They had a system, and it went like this: the husband worked the grill, roasting the long green eggplants over bright red coals until fragrant and charred. He would peel off the burnt exterior and toss the limp, steaming vegetable onto an adjacent cutting board. His wife would then coarsely chop the eggplant before tossing it in a large wooden mortar and bashing it up with chili, garlic, fish sauce, and MSG.

These steps are basically all that’s involved in making tam makhuea, yet I noticed that no two orders were the same. This is because the dish, like other tam (Thai-style pounded salads), is seasoned to taste. In practice this usually refers to the number of chilies, but some customers may choose to omit the dish’s pungent plaa raa (unfiltered fish sauce) or other ingredients.

As such, the amounts provided in this recipe are a baseline; if you like it spicy, add another chili or two; if you don’t like MSG, omit it: that’s also part of the system.

Thai Kitchen Tools

Thai-style charcoal grill or barbecue

clay mortar and wood pestle

Using a Thai-style charcoal grill, light the charcoal and allow the coals to reduce to high heat (approximately 450°F to 550°F, or when you can hold your palm 3 inches above the grilling level for 2 to 4 seconds). Using a fork, poke holes in the eggplant and grill until fragrant, limp, and charred, approximately 5 minutes on each side. Remove from the grill and cool.

INGREDIENTS 4 green Japanese eggplants (600 grams / 21 ounces total) 6 medium fresh chilies (12 grams / ½ ounce total; see page 324) 5 grams Thai garlic (or 1 standard garlic clove, peeled) 2 teaspoons fish sauce 1 teaspoon unfiltered fish sauce (plaa raa; see page 325) ¼ teaspoon MSG (optional) a few sprigs cilantro (5 grams total), chopped 1 small bunch mint (15 grams / ½ ounce total)

Remove the grate; skewer and grill the chilies directly over the coals, turning frequently, until fragrant and slightly charred, about 2 minutes.

When cool enough to handle, peel the eggplant and chilies, discarding their burnt exteriors. Chop the eggplant roughly.

With a mortar and pestle, pound the chilies and garlic to a rough paste. Add the eggplant, fish sauce, unfiltered fish sauce, and MSG (if using). Pound and grind until the seasonings are distributed and the mixture has the consistency of a chunky paste.

Taste, adjusting the seasonings if necessary; the tam makhuea should taste equal parts spicy, salty, and smoky.

Remove to a serving dish, garnish with cilantro, and serve with a side of mint and sticky rice as part of a northern Thai meal.

Publisher ‏ : ‎ Clarkson Potter (October 23, 2018)
Language ‏ : ‎ English
Hardcover ‏ : ‎ 336 pages
ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 045149749X
ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0451497499
Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 3.7 pounds
Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 8.52 x 1.18 x 11.15 inches