Cà pháo muối

Step 1: Wash a 1.5-litre glass jar and lid in hot soapy water, rinse, and dry in a 250°F oven for 10 minutes. Let it cool.

Step 2: Bring 1 litre water to the boil with 1 ¾ oz salt and 1 tbsp sugar, stir until dissolved, then cool completely.

Step 3: Trim the stalks off 1 ⅛ lb cà pháo or Thai eggplants and halve any larger than 3 cm. Drop them straight into a bowl of cold water with 1 tbsp salt, for soaking and leave for 2–3 hours, keeping them submerged with a plate, until the soaking water turns brownish.

Step 4: Drain, rinse and shake dry. Pack the eggplants into the jar, tucking 6 garlic cloves, 4 red bird's eye chillies and ⅔ oz galangal between the layers.

Step 5: Pour over the cooled brine to cover by at least 2 cm. Weigh the eggplants down with a small plate, a clean zip bag of brine or a bamboo grid so none float. Close the lid loosely.

Step 6: Leave at room temperature (25–86°F) out of direct sun for 3–5 days, pressing down daily with a clean spoon. Normal signs: the brine turns cloudy, a few bubbles rise and it smells pleasantly sour; a flat white film can be skimmed off. Fuzzy, coloured mould, a slimy texture or a putrid smell mean discard the lot.

Step 7: When the skins are olive-yellow and a halved eggplant tastes sour right to the centre, move the jar to the fridge. Keep for up to 3 weeks, using a clean dry spoon, still submerged in brine.