Heat oven to 220C/200C fan/gas 7. Prick the aubergines all over with a fork and roast on a baking tray until completely soft, about 30-40 mins. Remove from the oven and leave to cool. Once cool, peel off as much skin as possible (don’t worry if a few small charred bits remain). Cut the flesh in half or thirds, then pull into roughly 5cm-long strands. Cover and set aside.
Cook the wheat or egg noodles following pack instructions, then drain well and place in a bowl. Toss with the soy sauce and oil, cover and set aside. To make the dressing, combine all the ingredients, mix well and set aside until needed.
Heat a frying pan over a medium heat and dry-fry the sesame seeds until popping. Remove and set aside to cool. Repeat with the coconut, then set aside.
To cook the rice noodles, heat a 3cm depth of sunflower oil in a wok until hot – drop in a noodle to test, it should sizzle and float to the top. Cook in small batches, using tongs to turn them once, then remove and drain on kitchen paper.
Assemble the salad. Arrange the wheat noodles on a large platter, then sprinkle over the sesame seeds and coconut. Arrange the aubergine, mango, red pepper, cucumber, spring onions and avocado over the noodles. Top with the rice noodles and scatter over the herbs. Put the dressing in a bowl and serve on the side.
