Red aubergine curry

Serves 4

For the spice paste

• 3 stalks lemon grass
• 6 lime leaves
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 tomatoes
• 2 red chillies
• 0 3 cm lump ginger
• 3 aubergines
• 0 olive oil
• 2 400 ml cans coconut milk
• 1 tsp sesame oil
• 1 tbsp light soy sauce
• 0 lime juice

Step 1
Make the spice paste: trim the lemon grass, discarding the root end and any less than tender outer leaves.

Step 2
Put them into a food processor with the lime leaves, peeled garlic, 25g of the coriander, the tomatoes and the chillies, seeded if you like a cooler curry.

Step 3
Peel and roughly chop the ginger then add to the lemon grass.

Step 4
Blitz to a rough paste, scraping the paste down occasionally with a rubber spatula.

Step 5
Cut the aubergines in half lengthways then cut each half into thin slices.

Step 6
Pour a thin layer of olive oil into a heavy-based casserole, add the aubergines and fry till pale gold.

Step 7
Stir in the spice paste and leave to cook, over a moderate heat, for a couple of minutes till the paste darkens very slightly in colour.

Step 8
Pour in the coconut milk, the nam pla, the sesame oil and the light soy sauce, stir and leave to simmer gently for 15-20 minutes.

Step 9
To serve, scatter over the leaves from the remaining coriander, and correct the seasoning with salt and a little lime juice.