Dish of Eggplant Curry
(click to enlarge)

Eggplant Curry


Cambodia
Serves:
Effort:
Sched:
DoAhead:  		 2 main
***
1 hr
Part		 Eggplant curry is a popular dish all over Southeast Asia. This recipe from Cambodia is a flavorful example. To make it vegetarian you could try using a few cubes of fermented tofu for the shrimp paste.

3
1
2
4
2
1/2
1
1
1/2
19
1/3
6
1/2
1/4
1
T
#
oz
cl

c
T
T
T
oz
c

t
t
T
Kroeung Paste (1)
Eggplants (2)
Shallots
Garlic
Chilis, dry hot
Thai Basil Leaves
Oil
Shrimp Paste (3)
Palm Sugar (4)
Coconut milk
Stock
Kaffir Lime leaf (5)
Salt
Pepper black
Lime Juice
Do-Ahead   -   (30 min)
  1. Make your Kroeung Paste if you don't have it on hand.
Prep   -   (20 min)
  1. Cut EGGPLANTS into bite size pieces and put in a bowl of water acidulated with citric acid or lemon juice.
  2. Peel SHALLOTS and slice thin. Crush GARLIC and chop fine. Mix together with DRIED CHILIS.
  3. Pull BASIL LEAVES from stems and put in a bowl of cold water. This helps them stay green longer.
  4. Squeeze LIME JUICE.
Run   -   (30 min)
  1. Heat OIL and stir in Shallot mix. Fry stirring until you see the first trace of color, then stir in Kroeung Paste, Shrimp Paste and Palm Sugar (if used). Fry stirring until it starts to darken just a bit.
  2. Stir in the Coconut Milk, Stock, Kaffir Leaves and Eggplants. Season with Salt and Pepper and bring to a Simmer for about 20 minutes with the lid ajar.
    Caution: coconut milk will foam up and overflow the pan just like cow milk does - simmer gently, leave the lid ajar and watch it.
  3. Turn off heat. Drain Basil Leaves and stir them in, then stir in the Lime Juice.
  4. Serve hot with plenty of steamed Jasmine rice.
NOTES:

  1. Kroeung Paste

    is a popular Cambodian curry paste made of all fresh ingredients. Making it takes 30 minutes for a lot more than needed for this recipe, but it can be used in other recipes or frozen for later use. See our recipe Kroeung Paste.

  2. Eggplants:

      Small oval Indian eggplants are best for this, but if you don't have them use long narrow Asian or Italian. Thai eggplants could also be used. For details see our Eggplants page.

  3. Shrimp Paste:

      This can be either block form (which you wrap in aluminum foil and roast over a burner or dry fry for a few minutes) or Vietnamese paste from a jar. If necessary you can use the more refined Thai shrimp paste. For details see our Shrimp Sauce / Paste page.

  4. Palm Sugar:

      Asians tend to sweeten just about everything. I generally omit the sugar.

  5. Kaffir Lime Leaves:

      These come 2 leaves to a stem, so this recipe needs 3 stems. For details See our Kaffir Lime page. If you don't have them, grate the zest of the limes before you squeeze them for lime juice.
  6. U.S. measure: t=teaspoon, T=Tablespoon, c=cup, qt=quart, oz=ounce, #=pound, cl=clove in=inch, ar=as required tt=to taste
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