Step 1

First up lay the eggplant slices out onto a tray in a single layer. Sprinkle with a little salt and set aside for 30 minutes. Rinse off salt and pat eggplant slices dry with a clean tea towel or paper towel. To make the tomato paste, heat oil in a medium saucepan over medium heat. Add spring onion, garlic, ginger, and chile, and cook, stirring often, for 3 to 4 minutes or until tender. Add chopped tomatoes, sugar, tomato paste, and salt, and continue to cook for a further 6 to 8 minutes or until the tomatoes are pulpy. Remove from the heat and purée with a stick blender to a fine paste.

Step 2

Wash out the saucepan quickly and return to the heat over medium. Add the oil for the curry sauce. When hot add the eggplant (aubergine) slices and red onion and cook, stirring often for 8 to 10 minutes or until the eggplant is starting to soften. Add the coconut milk, prepared tomato paste, sliced chile, chopped coriander (cilantro), kaffir lime leaves, soy sauce, and lime zest and juice. Reduce heat to a simmer and cook for 15 to 20 minutes or until the eggplant is meltingly tender. Add a touch of water at any stage if the sauce is thickening up too much. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding more salt/pepper, chile, lime juice, or sugar if needed to get the right balance of flavors. Serve hot over jasmine rice, scattered with coriander leaves, Thai basil, sliced chile, and a wedge of lime to squeeze.

Step 3

Note: To skin tomatoes; remove the hard core at one end and make a cross slit with a sharp knife on the other round end. Submerge into boiling water for 30 to 45 seconds, remove, and run under cold water. The skins should now slip off easily.