AUBERGINE AND PEANUT CURRY

The ingredients list for this flavour-packed dish may look long, but it consists of many store-cupboard staples.

SERVES 4-6

1tsp cumin seeds

1tsp coriander seeds 3 aubergines

4tbsp sunflower oil 3 cloves garlic, peeled 5cm ginger, peeled

1 stick lemongrass 1 large/2 small red chillies ½tsp ground turmeric 1tbsp coconut oil

400ml can coconut milk 200ml vegetable stock 2tbsp peanut butter

4 lime leaves 1tbsp tamarind paste

1tbsp fish sauce

1tsp soft light brown or coconut sugar

3 ripe tomatoes, quartered 1 red pepper, deseeded, cut into 1cm wide strips Leaves of 4 stalks Thai basil 2tbsp roasted peanuts, roughly chopped

3 spring onions, sliced on the diagonal

2tbsp coriander leaves Jasmine rice, to serve

1 Tip cumin and coriander seeds into a large dry sauté pan and toast over a medium heat for 30 seconds to 1 min until they smell aromatic. Grind the seeds using a pestle and mortar, and set aside.

2 Cut the aubergines in half from end to end, then across the middle, and then into wedges. Heat half of the sunflower oil in the pan and fry half of the aubergines over medium heat until golden brown all over (you may need to do this in batches). Set aside.

3 Chop the garlic, ginger, lemongrass and chillies, tip into a food processor with the turmeric, cumin and coriander seeds and blend into a paste.

4 Heat coconut oil in the sauté pan, add the paste mixture and cook for 1 min. Add the coconut milk, vegetable stock, peanut butter, lime leaves, tamarind paste, fish sauce and sugar, and simmer for 10 mins to reduce and thicken slightly. Add the tomatoes to the pan and cook 5 mins until tender but still holding their shape.

5 Add the pepper to the pan with the aubergines and half of the basil leaves. Mix to combine, and cook for about 15 mins until vegetables are tender.

6 Serve with the chopped peanuts, spring onions, coriander, remaining Thai basil, and jasmine rice.