Jamie Oliver’s bestselling vegetarian cookbook, Veg, is all about celebrating really good, tasty food that just happens to be meat-free.
Try Jamie Oliver’s Stuffed Curried Aubergines with Spiced Tamarind and Peanut Sauce with Coriander.
SERVES 6 1 HOUR 15 MINUTES
1 onion
4 cloves of garlic 4cm piece of ginger
1/2 a bunch of fresh coriander (15g)
2 fresh red chillies
1 teaspoon each cumin seeds, mustard seeds, ground turmeric, garam masala, fenugreek seeds
- big handful of fresh curry leaves groundnut oil
- heaped tablespoons crunchy peanut butter
1 tablespoon mango chutney 2 tablespoons tamarind paste
12 finger aubergines (800g total) 1 x 400g tin of light coconut milk
250g ripe mixed-colour cherry tomatoes
Method
preheat the oven to 190ºC/375ºF/gas 5. peel the onion, garlic and ginger, place in a food processor with the coriander stalks and chillies (deseed if you like), and whiz to a fine paste. put the spices and curry leaves into a 25cm x 35cm roasting tray on a low heat with 2 tablespoons of oil and fry for 1 minute, or until smelling fantastic, stirring constantly. Tip in the paste and cook for 5 minutes, or until softened, stirring regularly. Stir in the peanut butter, mango chutney and tamarind paste, season with a good pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then scrape into a bowl, adding a splash of water to loosen to a paste, if needed.
leaving them intact at the stalk, cut the aubergines into quarters lengthways, rub and stuff them generously with all the paste, then arrange them in the tray (if using regular aubergines, simply trim then cut into 1cm-thick rounds and sandwich the paste between them). place the tray on a medium heat and fry for 5 minutes, turning halfway. Add the coconut milk, roughly chop and sprinkle over the tomatoes, season well with salt and pepper, and bring to the boil. Cover with tin foil and roast for 40 minutes, or until thickened and reduced, removing the foil halfway. Season to perfection and scatter over the coriander leaves.
Jamie Oliver’s Top Tip
Delicious and convenient made in advance and reheated when you need it – loosen with a splash of water, if needed.Always good with fluffy rice, poppadoms, yoghurt and extra fresh chilli.
This is an extract from Veg by Jamie Oliver. Published by Penguin Random House, RRP 49.99.
