Thai Aubergine Curry

For those of you who do not like aubergines (eggplant), this is a must try to get you hooked! I do not fancy aubergines much, but lately they have grown on me tremendously, partly thanks to this recipe. I found this recipe when attempting to make a sumptuous last-minute meal for my hubby. Below is my adaptation of the BBC Food recipe that I found. I must admit it was a magical moment when I tasted it! It wonderfully tickled all my taste buds! 

As it was such a great hit, I decided to make it for an upcoming dinner party with a vegan friend. It was a perfect match as the coconut milk provided some creaminess that Sunil & I were craving since (prematurely) giving up cheese for the Hindu religious month of Shraavan. Everyone enjoyed it! I have been raving about it to my mother in law and she has been patiently waiting for me post the recipe! Mom, I hope it was worth the wait. 🙂

Serves 2-3; Total time: 30-35 minutes

1 medium size aubergine, quartered lengthways, then halved
1 tsp chili powder
2 tsp turmeric powder
1 tbsp oil
1/2 tbsp sugar
1-2 spring onions, finely chopped
200 ml coconut milk
200 ml vegetable stock
1/2 of small tin of bamboo shoots
2 kaffir lime leaves (optional)
1 tsp soy sauce
Handful coriander sprigs, chopped

For the paste:
2 green/red chillies,  seeded
2″ piece of galangal (can use ginger as substitute) or a mix of both
1 lemon grass stalk, trimmed and roughly chopped
3-4 garlic cloves

1. Pulse the chillies, garlic, galangal/ginger and lemongrass to a paste. Set aside.

2. Mix the turmeric and chilli powder together and rub all over the aubergine wedges. Be careful not to spill out the bowl over your kitchen counter or not wash your hands properly before touching things. YES, speaking from experience, turmeric will stain everything!  🙂

3. Heat the 1/2 tbsp olive oil in large frying pan, add the aubergines as a single layer, allow to cook for 5 minutes on medium heat, turn to ensure even browning, remove from the pan and set aside. This process should take about 10 minutes. Be sure not to stir or move the aubergine pieces too much else they will break down and become mushy.

4. Add 1/2  tbsp of oil to the same pan and cook the paste, sugar, kaffir lime leaves and spring onions for a few mins, then return the aubergines to the pan. Add the bamboo shoots, soy sauce, coconut milk and stock. Mix well and bring the liquid to the boil. Reduce the heat and cook gently until the aubergine is tender. This will take about 15 minutes.

5. Season to taste and sprinkle with fresh coriander. Serve hot with steamed rice.

It might seem like a very spicy curry but the coconut milk balances it out in the end. If you prefer less heat, you can choose leave out fresh green/red chilies. There are really not great substitution for any of the ingredients as the flavour comes from all the fresh herbs.  You can easily get these ingredients in any Oriental/Asian shop. Hope you enjoy this dish as much as we did!