Aubergine and Sweet Potato Stew with Coconut Milk

Ingredients

• 2 lbs japanese eggplant
• 1/2 C peanut oil
• 1 lb shallots, slice half of them
• 2 tsp fennel seeds, lightly crushed
• 10 cloves garlic thinly sliced
• 1.5 C coriander, stalks and leaves chopped separately.
• 1 tbsp chopped ginger
• 1 Q vegetable stock
• 4 lemon grass stalks - outer layers discarded, finely chopped
• 6 Kaffir lime leaves, lightly bruised
• 5 fresh red chillies
• 1/2 C Thai green curry paste
• 3 lbs sweet potatoes cut into chunks
• 2 can coconut milk
• 2 tsp palm sugar
• 1.5 lbs mushrooms, thickly sliced
• juice of 2 limes
• 1 bunch Thai basil

Procedure

1. Slice eggplant in half and cut into chunks.
2. Heat half the oil and cook eggplant over medium heat until lightly browned on all sides, remove from pan and set aside.
3. Cook whole shallots in oil. Add more if necessary. Set aside.
4. Add remaining oil and cook sliced shallots, fennel seeds, garlic and ginger over low heat for 5 minutes
5. Pour in vegetable stock, then add lemon grass, chopped coriander stalks and any roots, lime leaves and whole chillies.
6. Cover and simmer over low heat for 5 minutes.
7. Stir in the curry paste and sweet potatoes then return eggplant and browned shallots and cook another 5 minutes.
8. Stir in coconut milk and sugar. Season to taste with salt and pepper
9. Stir in mushrooms and simmer gently for 5 minutes or until the vegetables are cooked and tender.
10. Stir in more curry paste and lime juice to taste followed by chopped coriander leaves.
11. Sprinkle with basil leaves and serve over rice.