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Many traditional Vietnamese dishes are prepared in an unglazed clay pot.  Recipes generally call for a small amount of water and, as the pot heats up, the pores in the clay allow hot air and moisture to combine and cook the food in a process similar to steaming.  The food cooks in its own juices, resulting in a nutritious, healthy and very tasty meal.

Vietnamese Eggplant in Clay Pot was one of several traditional dishes we made at the Red Bridge Cooking School in Hoi An, Viet Nam.  Our day started with a guided tour of Hoi An’s bustling farmers’ market where live ducks, crayfish, prawns, herbs, vegetables and cooking utensils were bartered.  Scooters, bicyclists and women carrying baskets balanced on wooden polls pushed their way through the throng of shoppers.  Ripe for pickpockets, a fellow traveller had her purse slit and wallet stolen in the flash of a minute.  It wasn’t until the empty wallet was found 30 minutes later that she realized it was even missing, testimony to the pickpocket’s sleight of hand.

After a half-hour boat trip on the Hoi An River, past fishermen casting nets, we arrived at the Red Bridge Cooking School.  The school is set on two acres of gardens, with three open air ‘pavilion style’ buildings.  It uses fresh herbs from its own garden, and fruit and vegetables from local growers.  Our menu consisted of:

Seafood Salad with Vietnamese Herbs in Half a Pineapple
Fresh Rice Paper Rolls of Shrimp
Fresh Rice Paper
Hoi An Pancakes
Vietnamese Eggplant in Clay Pot
Sweet and Sour Sauce
Peanut Sauce
Fish Sauce
Steamed Ocean Fish on a Bed of Mixed Vegetables

Below is the recipe for my favourite dish, but if you would like other recipes, simply post to this blog.

Vietnamese Eggplant in Clay Pot

2 tsp. peanut oil
1 clove garlic, finely chopped
2 tomatoes, quartered with inner section and seeds removed
1 lemongrass, finely chopped (keep stalk)
1 spring onion, cut into 3 cm pieces
2 Asian (long and thin) eggplants, cut into 4 cm long X 1 cm wide pieces
1 red chili, cut into thin strips
1 1/2 Tbsp. fish sauce
1 tsp. sugar
1 pinch of turmeric or curry powder
1 pinch of pepper
Basil to taste

Put medium-sized clay pot on heat.  Add 2 tsp. of oil and stir in garlic until fragrant.
Add tomato and lemongrass to the pot, but not the lemongrass stalk.
Add 2 Tbsp of water.  Stir.
Allow mixture to simmer for approximately 2 minutes.
Add fish sauce and sugar.  Mix well.
Add eggplant.
Pour in a cup of water.
Add another 1/2 tsp of fish sauce and sugar.  Mix well.
Add the tumeric or curry powder, pepper and lemongrass stalk.  Lemongrass stalk is a flavour enhancer and is not meant to be eaten.
Allow mixture to simmer for approximately 7 minutes until the eggplant is tender.
Garnish with basic, coriander, spring onion and chili.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

Enjoy!

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