Ingredients
Preparation time: 15 minutes
Total cooking time: 10-15 minutes
serves 4
4 small (about 400 g/12'/3 oz) slender eggplants (aubergines)
250 g (8 oz) firm tofu
2-4 small fresh red or green chillies
4 cloves garlic, crushed
4 coriander roots, chopped
1 small onion, chopped
2 teaspoons soft brown sugar 2 tablespoons lime juice
2 tablespoons fish sauce
1 tablespoon oil
½ cup (15 g/½oz)fresh Thai basil
2 teaspoons dried shrimp, finely chopped,optional
Method
1. Heat a frying pan or wok until hot. Add eggplant and cook until skin begins to char, turning to cook all sides. Remove from heat and cool. Slice eggplant diagonally into 2 cm I /4 inch) thick slices. Drain the tofu and cut into 3 cm (11/-t inch) cubes.
2 Using a food processor or blender, blend the chillies. garlic, coriander roots_ onion. sugar, lime juice and fish sauce until smooth.
3 Heat the oil in the same pan or wok, add the paste and stir over high heat for 1 minute or until fragrant. Add the eggplant, stir to combine and cook, covered, for 3 minutes or until just tender.
4 Add the tofu and half the basil and gently stir through. Serve garnished with the remaining basil and dried shrimp, if desired.
NOTE: This dish can be eaten hot or as a cold accompaniment. If you prefer a milder. less spicy dish, use only 2 chillies.