Pineapple, coconut and eggplant Malaysian curry. Recipe by Elly McCausland, photo by Polly Webster for “La cucina botanica” (Guido Tommasi Editore).
THENGREDIENTS X 4:
- For the spicy pasta: 2 shallots, 2 minced cloves of garlic, 5 cm minced ginger root, 1 tablespoon of dried shrimps (soaked in 200 ml of water for 1 hour) 2 tablespoons of light soy sauce, 2-3 red chillies.
- For the curry: 3 tablespoons coconut oil, 1 cinnamon stick, 5 cloves, 5 crushed cardamom pods, 2 star anise, 2 teaspoons medium curry and 1 salt, 1/2 peeled and cored pineapple, chopped, 1 diced aubergine, 400 ml whole coconut milk, 3 chopped keffir lime leaves, 80 g green beans, 3 tablespoons dehydrated and toasted coconut, 1-2 tablespoons of tamarind paste, 2-3 teaspoons of brown sugar , coriander and lime leaves to decorate.
Method
Prepare the spicy pasta, chopping all the ingredients in the food processor or mixer. Add a little of the water from the dried shrimp (or plain water, if you are using soy sauce) to get a smooth paste. Set aside.
Heat the coconut oil over high heat in a large skillet or wok and sauté the cinnamon, cloves and star anise berries for 1 minute.
When they are fragrant, add the spicy pastacurry powder and salt and cook for 5 minutes, stirring often. Add the pineapple and eggplant and cook for 5-10 minutes to soften them, turning everything in the spices.
Add the coconut milk and kaffir lime leaves. Cook over low heat for 10 minutes, then add the green beans and cook for another 5 minutes, until the sauce has reduced and thickened (dilute it with a little water if necessary).
Grind the coconut and add it to the other ingredients, then simmer for about 1 minute. Add the tamarind and sugar and taste: the sauce should be pungent and spicy, but also sweet enough.
Cook for another 1 minute, then serve with the lime wedges, chopped coriander leaves and a little steamed jasmine rice.
The décor idea
This curry has an exotic flavor, to be served bearing in mind that it comes from afar. And then, jap bowls for rice and ceramic plates with oriental decorations. The spoons? They are a kind concession to us western diners.
“La Cucina Botanica” by Elly McCausland (Guido Tommasi Editore).
From seed to fruit
The curry recipe is taken from The Botanical Cuisine by Elly McCausland (Guido Tommasi Editore), which is a real discovery: try cooking with leaves, fruits, flowers, seeds …
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