Xian Eggplant & Pomegranate Salad

Great cities have risen and fallen at Xian since the 11th century bce (called Changan in ancient times). During the great Silk Road trading days of the Han and Tang dynasties it was one of the most splendid cities in the world. Today this salad is a popular Xian dish. It is similar to the traditional Persian salad Naz Khatun (“lady flirt”) and is perhaps an example of the cultural exchange along the Silk Road.