The Romans thought aubergines were poisonous, and called them mala insana – the apples of insanity. While the name stuck in Italy (melanzana), the bad rap didn’t, and they are now the star ingredient in dishes across the globe, from moussaka in Greece to baingan bhartha in India. Cook them over fire or under a hot grill until their flesh is smoky and silken; their dense, meaty texture also holds up well in curries and stir-fries. However you choose to cook them, though, be bold: aubergines have little flavour of their own, but they are terrific sponges for punchy spices, condiments and dressings.
Stir-fried aubergines with tofu, cashew nuts and Thai basil (pictured top)
Fry the aubergines until they are meltingly tender for a textural contrast to the crisp tofu and cashew nuts. If you can’t find baby aubergines, use three large ones instead, and cut them into 10cm-long x 1½cm-wide wedges.
Prep 20 min
Cook 20 min
Serves 4
400g baby aubergines (about 12)
1 block firm tofu (300g), cut into 2cm cubes
2 tbsp cornflour
125ml rapeseed oil
2 garlic cloves, peeled and very finely sliced
2 banana shallots, peeled and finely sliced into half-moons
1-2 long red chillies, finely sliced diagonally
55g cashew nuts
50g palm sugar
60ml fish sauce (or tamari, if you want to keep the dish vegetarian)
3 tbsp tamarind pulp
1 handful Thai basil leaves
Sticky rice and lime wedges, to serve
Quarter the aubergines lengthways, but don’t cut all the way through the stem – you want to keep them attached and intact. Dust the tofu with the cornflour.
Heat the oil in a wok, fry the aubergines in batches until tender, then drain on kitchen paper. Fry the tofu until golden and crisp, then drain on kitchen paper. Fry the garlic until golden, then drain. Finally, fry the shallots until they go dark golden brown, then drain well.
Pour off all but a tablespoon of the hot oil from the wok, then fry the sliced chilli and cashew nuts until the nuts turn golden brown. Add the palm sugar, fish sauce and tamarind pulp, and cook, stirring, until the mixture starts to bubble.
Return the aubergines and tofu to the pan and toss to coat. Scatter over the garlic and shallots, tear in the Thai basil and serve with lime wedges and sticky rice.
Crushed aubergines with black vinegar, chilli and sesame dressing
The smoky flavour of the aubergine stands up well to this spicy dressing. Add a boiled egg to each serving to make a more substantial lunch dish.
Prep 10 min
Cook 15 min
Serves 4
2 large aubergines
1 handful coriander leaves
4 spring onions, trimmed and finely sliced
1 handful pea shoots
1 tbsp toasted sesame seeds, to finish
For the dressing
30g chilli oil
30g tahini
1½ tbsp light soy sauce
3 tsp Chinkiang black vinegar
3 tsp mirin
1½ tsp rice vinegar
1½ tsp ginger, peeled and finely grated
1 tsp caster sugar
Pierce the aubergines all over with a fork – this will stop them exploding! – then grill on a chargrill, barbecue, under a hot grill or, as I do, over a gas flame on the hob, turning regularly until really soft and charred all over. Leave to cool slightly.
Whisk all the dressing ingredients in a bowl.
Peel and discard the charred aubergine skin, cut the flesh lengthways into quarters, then arrange on a platter and spoon over half the dressing. Mix the herbs, spring onions and pea shoots in a small bowl, then pour in the remaining dressing and toss to coat. Scatter the herb mix all over the aubergines, then sprinkle over the sesame seeds and serve.
Oven-baked hasselback aubergine curry with peanut crust
Hasselbacking your aubergines will provide lots of pockets and crevices for the thick, jammy curry paste to sit in.
Prep 20 min
Cook 40 min
Serves 4
4 small aubergines
3 tbsp coconut oil, melted
15 fresh curry leaves
2 tbsp tomato puree
4 ripe tomatoes, roughly chopped and pureed
3 tbsp tamarind concentrate
2 tbsp grated palm sugar, or soft brown sugar
Sea salt
1 small handful fresh coriander, leaves picked, to finish
For the curry paste
2 red onions, roughly chopped
2 long red chillies, roughly chopped
3 sticks lemongrass, white parts only, roughly chopped
5cm piece fresh ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
3 fat garlic cloves, peeled and roughly chopped
6 lime leaves, stems removed, then roughly chopped
2 tsp shrimp paste
2 tsp coriander seeds, toasted and coarsely ground
1 tsp ground turmeric
For the peanut crust
3 tbsp desiccated coconut
1 tbsp sesame seeds
3 tbsp roasted salted peanuts
1 tsp gochugaru (optional)
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Make horizontal cuts in the aubergines at 1cm intervals, going only three quarters of the way through, so the aubergines remain intact, then drizzle with half the melted coconut oil and put in a roasting tin.
Blend all the curry paste ingredients in a food processor until smooth. Heat the remaining coconut oil in a pan, add the curry paste and fry on a low heat for 10 minutes, until it darkens in colour and smells fragrant.
Add the curry leaves, cook for a few seconds, then add the tomato puree and cook for a minute. Add the pureed tomatoes, tamarind and palm sugar, and cook for eight minutes, until the mix is thick and jammy. Season with sea salt.
Spoon half the sauce into the slits in the aubergines. Return the remaining sauce to the heat, add 250ml water, mix and bring to a boil. Pour the sauce all around the aubergines, then bake for 30 minutes, until the aubergines are very tender.
In the meantime, toast the coconut and sesame seeds in a hot, dry pan, turning frequently so they don’t burn. Once golden, tip into a blender, add the peanuts and gochugaru, if using, and blitz to a coarse crumble.
When the aubergines are done, top with the crumble, scatter over the picked coriander and serve with roti, parathas or rice.
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