Thai Curry with Tofu & Aubergine

This recipe is my own combination of two different Thai "green" curry recipes I love. One is a recipe for Thai Green Curry with Vegetables by Sylvia Fountaine and the other is a Monkfish Curry Recipe by Atul Kochhar.

There are certain specific ingredients you can add to this to give it more of a Thai taste, but they aren't all that easy to come by so if you can't get hold of them then not to worry, I often make this recipe without them and it still tastes absolutely gorgeous, just slightly less Thai-specific.

Serves: 3-4

Prep Time: 15 mins

Cooking Time: 35 mins

Total Time: 50 mins

Ingredients

Aubergine & Tofu

1 aubergine, cubed

1 tbsp rapeseed oil
140g firm tofu, cubed (not silken)

I recommend The Tofoo Co.'s tofu block

Sauce

2 tsp mild red chilli powder
1/2 tsp ground turmeric

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

3cm piece of fresh ginger, grated
1 tsp mustard
1/2 finely chopped mild green chilli
1 small lemon, juice only

1 small stick of lemongrass

1 bay leaf

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

Thai Curry

2 tbsp rapeseed oil

2 onions, finely chopped

3 cardamom pods

1 bay leaf

1 small stick of lemongrass

1/2 finely chopped mild green chilli

optional:

3 kefir lime leaves

2 tsp finely chopped galangal

2 cloves of garlic, crushed

4cm piece of fresh ginger, grated

1/2 tsp mustard

2 tsp ground coriander

pinch of chilli flakes

a handful of Thai basil (or non-Thai basil)

1 tbsp soy sauce

1 tsp miso paste

150ml boiling water

200ml coconut milk
1 lime, juice only

To serve

Plain white or brown rice

If required, press your tofu before you start. If using The Tofoo Co.'s tofu block, you don't need to worry about this!
Preheat the oven to 180°C fan/200°C/gas 6.
Place the aubergine in a roasting tin and drizzle with the oil. Transfer to the oven and roast for 10 minutes.
Meanwhile, combine all of the ingredients for the sauce in a small bowl or jug and mix well.
When the aubergines have had 10 minutes, add the cubed tofu to the tin and pour over the sauce, mixing well to coat the aubergine and tofu. Return to the oven for 30 minutes.
While the aubergine and tofu are cooking, prepare the curry. Heat the oil in a saucepan over medium-low heat and add the onion. Stir frequently and cook for 8 minutes, or until soft and golden. Add the cardamom, bay leaf, lemongrass, chilli, (and, if you're using them, the kefir lime leaves and galangal) to the pan and cook for a further 2-3 minutes. Add the ginger and garlic and cook for another 2–3 minutes. Add the mustard, coriander, chilli flakes and basil.
In a small bowl, combine the soy sauce, miso paste and boiling water. Add this to the saucepan along with the coconut milk and stir, leaving to simmer over low heat.
When the aubergine and tofu are done roasting, add them to the curry along with the lime juice, making sure to scrape the tin for any remaining sauce. Leave this to simmer gently for 4-5 minutes. Serve with plain rice.