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Cha traop dot
Cha traop dot (ឆាត្រប់ដុត): smoky flame-charred aubergine under garlicky minced pork and spring onion oil
Long purple aubergines blackened right on the coals or gas flame are a weeknight staple in Phnom Penh homes and in the rice-and-curry shops where office workers eat lunch from a row of pots. Once peeled, the flesh is soft, silky and deeply smoky; it is laid on a plate, topped with minced pork fried with garlic and fish sauce, then drizzled with hot spring onion oil and a sweet-salty lime dressing. Eaten with plenty of jasmine rice, it is gentle enough for children and rich enough to feel like a treat. A typical mistake is pulling the aubergines off the heat when the skin is only scorched in patches, which leaves hard, bland flesh inside. Chef's tip: char them until they slump completely flat and the skin cracks all over, then rest them in a covered bowl for 5 minutes so the skin slips off in one go.
- Total time
- 35 min
- Difficulty
- easy
- Serves
- 4
Ingredients
For the aubergines
- 4 long Asian auberginesabout 600 g; or 2 large globe aubergines
For the pork
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 garlic clovesfinely chopped
- 9 oz minced pork
- 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce
- 1 tsp sugar
- ½ tsp ground black pepper
For the spring onion oil
- 3 tbsp vegetable oil
- 4 spring onionsthinly sliced
- 1 pinch salt
For the dressing
- 1 tbsp fish sauce
- 1 ½ tbsp lime juice
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 2 tbsp warm water
- 1 fresh red chillifinely chopped
To serve
- 1 handful fresh coriander (optional)roughly chopped
- 2 tbsp crispy fried garlic or shallots (optional)
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Method
0/10 doneStep 1: Prick each of 4 long Asian aubergines a few times with a fork. Set them directly on a gas flame over a medium-high heat, on a hot barbecue, or under a very hot grill.
1 minStep 2: Cook for 12–15 minutes, turning with tongs every few minutes, until the skins are blackened and cracked all over and the aubergines have slumped and feel completely soft when squeezed.
15 minStep 3: Put them in a bowl, cover with a plate and leave for 5 minutes to steam, which loosens the skin.
5 minStep 4: Meanwhile, make the dressing: stir 1 tbsp sugar into 2 tbsp warm water until dissolved, then add 1 tbsp fish sauce, 1 ½ tbsp lime juice and 1 fresh red chilli.
Step 5: Heat 3 tbsp vegetable oil in a small pan over a medium heat until hot. Pour it over 4 spring onions and 1 pinch salt in a heatproof bowl; it should sizzle and the onions turn bright green.
Step 6: Heat 1 tbsp vegetable oil in a frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry 4 garlic cloves for 30 seconds, until fragrant and just golden.
1 minStep 7: Add 9 oz minced pork and break it up with a spatula. Fry for 6–7 minutes, until no pink remains, it reaches 160°F, and the pork starts to brown in places.
7 minStep 8: Stir in 1 ½ tbsp fish sauce, 1 tsp sugar and ½ tsp ground black pepper and cook for 1 minute more, until the liquid evaporates and the pork looks glossy.
1 minStep 9: Peel the aubergines, leaving the stalks on, and lay them on a platter. Use a fork to open them out and flatten the flesh slightly, leaving a few flecks of char for smokiness.
Step 10: Spoon the pork over the aubergines, drizzle with the spring onion oil and then the dressing. Top with 1 handful fresh coriander and 2 tbsp crispy fried garlic or shallots if using, and serve warm with rice. For a vegetarian version, fry crumbled firm tofu with soy sauce instead of the pork and use a soy-lime dressing.
Nutrition per serving
- Calories
- 260 kcal
- Protein
- 14 g
- Carbs
- 12 g
- Fat
- 18 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
Nutrition values are estimates.
KrazyBadal
Good to know
- How long does cha traop dot take?
- About 35 minutes in total: 10 minutes to prepare and 25 minutes to cook.
- How many people does it serve?
- 4 as written. Change the servings above the ingredients and every amount scales to match.
- Is it gluten free?
- Yes, as written. Check the labels on stock, sauces and spice mixes, which sometimes contain gluten.
- What can I use instead of garlic cloves?
- ½ tsp garlic paste or ⅛ tsp garlic powder per clove.
- What can I use instead of fish sauce?
- Soy sauce with a squeeze of lime (vegetarian).
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