New York Times

Ingredients

The eggplant pickle:

• 1 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 ½ teaspoons tumeric powder
• 1 large eggplant, cut into 1/4-inch-round slices
• 2 tablespoons vegetable oil
• 1 ½ teaspoons black mustard seeds
• ¼ cup rice-wine vinegar
• 1 small onion, peeled and minced
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled and thinly sliced
• 1 ½ teaspoons grated gingerroot
• 1 tablespoon curry powder
• 1 ½ teaspoons minced Thai chili pepper
• 1 inch-long cinnamon stick
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ¼ cup dissolved tamarind pulp or orange juice

The steak:

• 1 pound flank steak
• 4 cloves garlic, peeled and minced
• 1 teaspoon sugar
• ½ cup distilled white vinegar
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 2 tablespoons nuoc mam (Vietnamese fish sauce)
• 2 tablespoons soy sauce
• ½ cup minced pineapple
• 1 cup minced mint leaves

Preparation

1. Combine the salt and tumeric. Put the eggplant in a colander. Sprinkle with the salt mixture and toss. Set aside for 1 hour. Rinse and pat dry.
2. Heat some of the oil in a cast-iron skillet. Add the eggplant and cook until golden brown, about 4 minutes per side. Drain on paper towels. Transfer to a large glass or ceramic bowl.
3. Combine the mustard seeds, vinegar, onion, garlic and gingerroot in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Set aside.
4. Heat the remaining oil in a clean skillet. Add the mustard mixture and simmer over medium heat for 5 minutes. Add the curry powder, chili, cinnamon, sugar and tamarind. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover and cook for 15 additional minutes. Pour over the eggplant and marinate in the refrigerator for 4 hours.
5. Put the steak in a large glass or ceramic baking dish. Combine the garlic, sugar, vinegar, olive oil, nuoc mam, soy sauce and pineapple in a blender or food processor. Puree until smooth. Pour the marinade over the meat. Cover and refrigerate for 2 hours.
6. Bring the meat to room temperature. Grill over hot coals until rare, about 3 minutes per side. Set aside to rest for 10 minutes.
7. To assemble, divide the eggplant salad among 4 plates. Slice the meat into very thin strips crosswise. Drape 4 slices of meat over the top of each salad. Garnish with fresh mint.