Asian Recipes - Thai Fish and Eggplant Curry Recipe

Ingredients

• 14-oz/400 ml can coconut milk, separated

• 1 to 1 1/4 lb/500 to 625 g firm-fleshed white fish, cut into large pieces

• 1 cup/250 ml Thai eggplants, cut into 4 pieces each

• 1 to 2 tbsp/15 to 30 ml fish sauce, or to taste

• Sugar and salt to taste

• Leaves from 2 or more sprigs of Thai basil

• A dollop of thick coconut cream, flowers and sprigs of Thai basil and diagonal slices of fresh red chilies for garnish

Seasoning:

• 1 to 3 tbsp/15 to 45 ml Thai green curry paste

• 3 fresh lime leaves

• 2 to 4 fresh red chilies, cut in half lengthwise (optional)

Serves 4

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Method:

1.  Prepare all ingredients and have at hand.

2. Heat a non-reactive, heavy-bottomed, deep pan over medium heat. Add 3 generous spoonfuls of the coconut cream and cook, stirring until reduced and the coconut oil begins to separate. The cream may brown, but do not let it burn.

3. Add the lime leaves and chilies and cook for 1/2 minute. Add the curry paste. Cook until fragrant and well mixed, about 1 minute.

4. Add the fish pieces and stir gently to coat them with the frying paste. Continue to cook to allow the flavors to penetrate the fish. Do not allow the paste to scorch.

5. Add the thin coconut milk, the remaining coconut cream (reserving a dollop for garnish), the fish sauce and a pinch of sugar and salt. Stir gently and bring to a boil. Add the eggplant, then reduce the heat to a simmer. Cook for 5 minutes.

6. Taste the sauce and adjust the seasoning adding sugar, fish sauce, chilies or salt as desired. Stir in the basil leaves. Garnish and Serve.

The real art (and much of the time) behind Thai curry making lies in the preparation of the curry paste; once you have the paste, the rest is quick and easy. Sadly, busy Thai home cooks no longer have the time to spend carefully pounding a perfect curry paste. Prepared curry pastes, whether from a wet market vendor or a supermarket, have become a convenience food in most Thai kitchens these days. This recipe is just as tasty made with any quick-cooking vegetable in place of the eggplant.