April Recipe! Jamie Oliver: Roasted Aubergine Laksa

This recipe reminds me of foods in Asia! I am excited to give this a go, tantalise my taste buds and use up some noodles I've had in the back of the cupboard! Would you enjoy this as a mid-week or weekend dish?

Let me know what you think!

Ingredients

• 6 large aubergines , (400g each)

• olive oil

• red wine vinegar

• 6 heaped teaspoons massaman curry paste

• 60 g honey roasted cashew nuts

• 6 spring onions

• 6 cm piece of ginger

• 1 x 400 g tin of light coconut milk

• 1 litre organic veg or chicken stock

• 450 g free-range egg noodles

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/350°F/gas 4.

2. Slice 3 aubergines into 2cm-thick rounds. In a small bowl, mix 1 tablespoon each of olive oil and red wine vinegar, 1 heaped teaspoon of massaman paste and a small pinch of sea salt and black pepper, then brush on both sides of the sliced aubergines. Arrange in a single layer in a large roasting tray and roast for 40 minutes.

3. Meanwhile, blacken the remaining 3 aubergines in a deep non-stick frying pan on a high heat, turning until charred and tender, then remove, leaving the pan on the heat. While they blacken, crush the cashews in a pestle and mortar, then put aside.

4. Trim the spring onions, chop the white halves (reserving the greens) and place in the pestle and mortar with the remaining massaman paste. Peel, chop and add the ginger, then pound into a paste. Finely slice the green spring onions lengthways and put into a bowl of cold water to curl up.

5. Halve the charred aubergines and scoop the insides into the hot pan with 1 tablespoon of oil, discarding the skins. Stir in the paste for 2 minutes, then pour in the coconut milk, stock and 1 tablespoon of red wine vinegar, and bring to the boil.

6. Alongside, cook the noodles according to the packet instructions, then drain and divide between warm bowls. Season the soup to perfection and ladle over the noodles, then top with the roasted aubergine slices.

7. Drain the curly spring onions and toss in a little red wine vinegar, then scatter over with the crushed cashews.

Jamie's Tips

– If you’ve got it, a few cubes of silken tofu dropped into the broth or a soft-boiled egg added to each bowlful will give you an extra hit of protein. – I’ve gone for egg noodles here, but rice vermicelli noodles or thicker wheat noodles would also eat really well.

Thanks to Jamie Oliver, for this simple and easy recipe!