Aubergine Thai Curry

This curry is full of flavour.  It is a bright yellow colour made from all natural, clean ingredients.  The main ingredient is aubergines, but the great thing about this recipe is you can really substitute any vegetables in.  It would work just as well with sweet potato, mushrooms or butternut squash as the star of the show.  Mix it up and let us know how it works out!

Ingredients:

• 3 x Aubergine (or sub in sweet potatoes, butternut squash, mushrooms or a mix of all!)
• Oil (i used coconut oil but whatever you have will be fine!)
• 1 x punnet of cherry tomatoes cut in half
• 1 x Red onion sliced 
• 1/2 x bag of spinach
• Fresh corriander
• Lime
• 5 x Cloves of garlic sliced thinly
• 1 x tin coconut milk
• 1 x cup of water

Spices

• 5 x cardoman pods
• Dried chilli flakes (or if you have dried full chillis then whizz them up in the blender or chop them finely)
• 2tbs Coriander seeds
• Salt and Pepper
• 1tbs Tumeric
• 1 x inch of fresh ginger sliced into small matchsticks

Method:

• Start by roasting your aubergine.  You will want to cut them into chunks (thicker that I did in the picture would be better).  Lay them out on a tray, drizzle with olive oil, salt and pepper.  Put in a hot oven for about 20 minutes, turning half way through.

• In a pot put your oil of choice and fry the onions.
• Take the cardoman pods and crack them slightly.  Add the pods and the chilli flakes to the onions.  Cook until the onions begin to soften.
• Take your corriander seeds and crush them in a mortal and pestle (or a grinder if you have it). Bear with this......it takes a while.  The finer the better, but it's not the end of the world if there are a few shells still left.
• To the onions add the grounded corriander seeds, the fresh ginger and the sliced garlic.
• At this point is is essential you get your nose in and smell the fragrant smells - amazing!!!

• Next add the chopped cherry tomatoes and the two liquids.  Mix through thoroughly before adding the roasted aubergine.
• Season with salt and pepper.
• Add the spinach to the mixture.
• Let the curry bubble away until it has thickened down a bit (20 or so mins) - If you are being lazy and cant wait, or you are just too hungry to wait, take some corn flour, add some tap water to make a paste and stir this through the curry for instant thickening!
• Before service stir through lots of chopped corriander and squeeze in the juice of one lime.
• If you can find your cardamon pods fish them out - if not just keep an eye out for them!  If you bite into them its quite a strong flavour - not unpleasant, just might take you by surprise!!

Enjoy with rice or quinoa or naan bread!

Remember to send us a picture to our Facebook if you make this curry and remember to log any meat-free days you have on the blog main page in our poll. 

Thanks :)