Thai Eggplant Curry

Delicate eggplants with thick and aromatic curry, there's no reason why anybody would pass up on this staple of Thai cuisine. With this vegetarian recipe, one can also opt to add chicken thighs or any meat of your choice for a bigger one-pot.

Yield: Serves 4
Prep Time: 10 mins
Cook Time: 25 mins
Difficulty Level: 2/5

Ingredients

• 250 g (8 ounces) Thai eggplant, quartered
• 2 (120 g) baby (finger) eggplants, sliced
• 1 small (230g) eggplant, cut into thick batons
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 4 (100 g) shallot, sliced thinly
• 10 cm (4 inch) stick fresh lemon grass (20 g), halved lengthways, bruised
• ¼ cup (75 g) green curry paste
• 1 cup (250 ml) coconut milk
• ½ cup (125 ml) water
• 4 fresh kaffir lime leaves
• 30 g (1 ounce) fresh Thai basil leaves
• 1 fresh long red chilli, sliced thinly

Steps

01. Steam all eggplants 8 mins or until almost tender.

02. Meanwhile, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat, cook shallot and lemon grass for 3 mins until softened. Add curry paste, cook, stirring, 1 min or until fragrant.

03. Stir in coconut milk, the water and lime leaves; bring to a simmer. Add eggplant; cook, covered, 5 mins or until eggplant is tender.

04. Stir half the basil leaves into curry. Season to taste.

05. Serve curry sprinkled with chilli and remaining basil leaves.

Photo: bauersyndication.com.au