Grilled vegetable and rice salad with fish-sauce vinaigrette

Indulge in the flavorful blend of grilled veggies, aromatic rice, and zesty fish-sauce vinaigrette in this vibrant and refreshing salad.

Ingredients:

• /4 cup unsweetened shredded coconut (optional)
• Vegetable oil
• okra pods
• ears of corn, shucked
• large zucchini, halved lengthwise, centers scooped out
• long red chiles (such as Holland or Anaheim), stemmed
• small eggplant, cut lengthwise into 1' slices
• tablespoon sea salt
• garlic clove, minced
• teaspoon palm sugar or (packed) light brown sugar
• tablespoons fish sauce (such as nuoc nam or nam pla)
• tablespoon fresh lime juice
• cups (loosely packed) mixed fresh tender herbs (such as basil, cilantro, fennel fronds, marjoram, mint, and tarragon)
• cups steamed jasmine rice
• 5 servings

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 250 °. Arrange coconut (if you're using it) on a baking sheet with edges. Bake, stirring occasionally, until it turns golden brown, which should take approximately 10 minutes. Allow it to cool on the sheet.
2. Prepare a medium-high fire in a charcoal grill, or preheat a gas grill on high heat. Brush oil onto the grill grates. In the meantime, mix okra, corn, zucchini, chiles, eggplant, and salt in a large bowl; drizzle oil on top and mix well. Grill the vegetables (you can use a grill basket if you have one), turning them often, until they are tender-crisp and slightly charred, about 8 minutes. Place the chiles in a bowl; cover tightly with plastic wrap to allow them to steam for easier peeling. Set the chiles aside for making the dressing.
3. Remove the kernels from the corn; place them in a large bowl. Cut the zucchini and eggplant into irregular pieces about 1 inch in size; add them to the bowl with the corn. Trim any tough tops off the okra, cut the okra in half lengthwise, and also add it to the bowl. Set aside.
4. Peel off the charred skin from the chiles and discard it. Blend the chiles (with the seeds) and garlic in a food processor or mash them with a mortar and pestle until a coarse paste forms. Add sugar and process or pound until the sugar dissolves. Mix in fish sauce and lime juice.
5. Pour the dressing over the warm vegetables; add herbs and toasted coconut (if using); toss everything together.
6. Serve the salad over a platter of steamed rice.

Summary:

• Calories: 2386 kcal
• Fat: 70 g
• Protein: 62 g
• Carbs: 425 g
• Potassium: 6098 mg
• Magnesium: 985 mg