grilled veggies with dipping sauce

I went out to the Red Hook Ball Fields in Brooklyn a few weeks ago to see if the outdoor stalls selling Latin American food were as good as everyone says.  Let me tell you, they were.  Besides being ridiculously cheap (we'e talking $2 for a Salvadoran pork popusa), there is a huge selection of tasty foods made to order. Standouts for me were the grilled corn covered in cotija cheese and the ice-cold milky mango smoothies. After making my rounds at all the stalls I went straight into a food coma and took a nap under a tree in the shade. It was a good afternoon.

Outdoor food markets in Southern China are a part of daily life. In the evenings, stalls line the streets selling just about anything edible on a stick. After you’ve selected a handfull, the vendors will grill the skewers over coals while you wait. These grilled vegetables make a great snack. Feel free to try veggies other than the ones listed. When they’re cooked through but still crunchy, dunk them in the dipping sauce and eat.

-Nate

Grilled Veggies with Dipping Sauce

  

Sauce:

2 medium tomatoes

3 tablespoons tomato paste

or substitute ketchup for more flavor

2 egg yokes

3 re-hydrated red chilies, deseeded

2 teaspoons vegetable oil

2 cloves garlic, crushed

1 tsp fresh ginger, finely chopped

3 scallions

1/8 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon black pepper

Grilled Vegies:

bamboo skewers, soaked overnight in water

1 medium eggplant

2 sweet potatoes

1 medium zucchini

sesame oil

sea salt

 

To make the dipping sauce, drop all the ingredients in a food processor and blend until smooth. SauteÅL in a pan over medium high heat for about 6 minutes or until the sauce thickens. Let cool to room temperature. 

Cut vegetables into 6” chunky strips and skewer with bamboo skewers. Brush with sesame oil and grill over hot coals until veggies are cooked through and skin begins to blister. Sprinkle lightly with sea salt and serve with a side of dipping sauce. Food markets in Yunnan are a part of daily life. At night, stahls line the streets selling just about anything edible on a stick. After you’ve sellected a handfull, the vendors will grill the skewers over coals while you wait. These grilled vegetables make a delicious snack or appetizer. Feel free to try vegies other than the ones listed. When they’re cooked through but still crunchy, dunk them in the dipping sauce and enjoy. 

Comments

[Mary Jo Curtis]

This sounds delicious and will have to try it. Would be great to cook at the beach. Love you ideas. Mary Jo