Smoky Charred Eggplant

This is really two recipes in one. Both rely on my mom’s technique of blistering eggplant on the stovetop, laying it right on the burner, then breaking the flesh down into smoky velvet. I like to stop right there and just swirl in some garlic cooked super-slow until soft and creamy, and top it off with nothing more than flaky sea salt. But my mom would add raw onion and tomato, for a touch of brightness, and finish it with a dose of fish sauce. (I soak the onion first in ice cold water, rin