Grilled Vegetable and Rice Salad with Fish-Sauce Vinaigrette

Ingredients

• 2  to 5 chilies red stemmed (such as Holland or Anaheim)
• 4 cups jasmine rice steamed
• 3  ears corn 
• 1 small eggplant cut lengthwise into 1" slices
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce (such as nuoc nam or nam pla)
• 1  garlic clove minced
• 2 cups herbs like: thym mixed fresh loosely packed () (such as basil, cilantro, fennel fronds, marjoram, mint, and tarragon)
• 1 teaspoon brown sugar light packed ()
• 1 tablespoon juice of lime fresh
• 12  okra 
• 1 tablespoon sea salt 
• 0.3 cup coconut shredded unsweetened
• 6 servings vegetable oil 
• 2 large zucchini halved lengthwise

Equipment

• food processor
• bowl
• frying pan
• oven
• grill
• mortar and pestle

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 250°F.
2. Spreadout coconut (if using) on a rimmedbaking sheet.
3. Bake, stirring often, untilgolden brown, about 10 minutes.
4. Letcool on pan.
5. Build a medium-hot fire in a charcoalgrill, or heat a gas grill to high.
6. Brush grill grates with oil. Meanwhile,combine okra, corn, zucchini, chiles,eggplant, and salt in a large bowl;drizzle with oil and toss to coat. Grillvegetables (use a grill basket if youhave one), turning frequently, untilcrisp-tender and lightly charred, about8 minutes.
7. Place chiles in a mediumbowl; cover tightly with plastic to letsteam for easy peeling. Set chiles asidefor dressing.
8. Cut corn kernels from cobs; placein a large bowl.
9. Cut zucchini andeggplant into irregular 1" pieces; placein bowl with corn. Trim any toughtops from okra and cut okra in halflengthwise; add to bowl. Set aside.
10. Peel or scrape off charred skin from chiles anddiscard. Purée chiles (with seeds) andgarlic in a food processor or mashwith a mortar and pestle until a coarsepaste forms.
11. Add sugar and processor pound until dissolved. Stir in fishsauce and lime juice.
12. Drizzle dressing over warm vegetables;add herbs and toasted coconut(if using); toss well.
13. Scoop steamed rice onto a platterand top with salad.