Charred Eggplant Salad

If you’ve been in Turkey for more than a day, you’ve had a version of this salad, which would have arrived automatically when you sat down for lunch or meze. It’s a candidate for the title of National Dish.

The flesh of the eggplant has a lovely texture but does not have much flavour of its own. It’s a great carrier of flavours, though—particularly the smokiness that comes when the skin is burnt on a barbecue or char-grill or open gas flame. The other key flavour he