Vegetarian Recipes - Aubergine and Sweet Potato Stew Recipe

Ingredients

• 60ml/4 tbsp vegetable oil

• 400g/14oz baby aubergines (eggplants), halved                   

• 225g/8oz Thai red shallots or other small shallots or pickling onions

• 5ml/1 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed

• 4-5 garlic cloves, thinly sliced

• 25ml/1 1/2 tbsp finely chopped fresh root ginger

• 475ml/6fl oz/2 cups vegetable stock

• 2 lemon grass stalks, outer layers discarded, finely chopped

• 15g/1/2oz/2/3 cup fresh coriander (cilantro), stalks and leaves chopped separately

• 3 kaffir lime leaves, lightly bruised

• 2-3 small fresh red chilies

• 60ml/4 tbsp green curry paste

• 675g/1 1/2lb sweet potatoes, cut in chunks

• 400ml/14fl oz/1 2/3 cups coconut milk

• 2.5-5ml/1/2-1 tsp light brown sugar

• 250g/9oz mushrooms, thickly sliced

• juice of 1 lime, to taste

• salt and ground black pepper

• basil leaves, to garnish

Serves 6

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Method:

1. Heat half the oil in a wide pan and cook the aubergines until gently browned on all sides. Remove from the pan; set aside.

2. Slice four shallots. Cook the whole shallots in the oil remaining in the pan, until lightly browned. Add to the aubergines. Add more oil to the pan and cook the sliced shallots, fennel seeds, garlic and ginger over a low heat for 5 minutes.

3. Add the stock, lemon grass, chopped coriander stalks, lime leaves and chilies. Simmer for 5 minutes, the stir in half the curry paste and the sweet potatoes.

4. Simmer for 10 minutes, add the aubergines and shallots and cook for 5 minutes more.

5. Stir in the coconut milk and sugar. Season, then stir in the mushrooms and simmer until the vegetables are cooked.

6. Stir in more curry paste and lime juice to taste, followed by the chopped coriander leaves. Sprinkle basil leaves over the stew and serve with rice in warm bowls.