Tomato and Chiles Dip (Laotian)

Charring the vegetables for this dip is the secret to its smoky flavour.

¾ lb cherry tomatoes
8 cloves garlic, halved
6 Thai chiles, stemmed
2 shallots, halved
½ red bell pepper, stemmed and seeded
¼ cups cilantro, chopped
2 Tbsp. fish sauce
¼ tsp. kosher salt

To Serve:
long beans, steamed, cut in segments
cabbage, steamed, cut in wedges
raw Thai eggplants, quartered

Heat broiler; place a rack 4" from heat source. (Alternately, prepare a medium-hot charcoal fire; place a vegetable grate over the grill top.) Put tomatoes, garlic, chiles, shallots, and bell pepper on a foil-lined baking sheet (or on grill top if grilling). Broil or grill vegetables, turning once, until charred, about 8 minutes. Let cool.

Transfer garlic, chiles, shallots, and bell pepper to a food processor; pulse until chopped. Add tomatoes; pulse until just chunky. Transfer dip to a bowl; stir in cilantro, fish sauce, and salt.

Serve with long beans, cabbage, and eggplant.

Makes 4 servings.