STEP 1 Preheat oven to 375˚F. Line a baking sheet with parchment paper and set aside. To prepare the curry sauce, roughly chop the shallot, garlic and cilantro stems. In a small spice grinder or small food processor, blend these ingredients with the Green Curry Powder into a smooth paste.
STEP 2 Heat a saucepan to medium high and cook the paste you just made until a ‘carpet’ starts to form. (A carpet means a part of the paste starts to stick to the bottom of the pan, but it hasn’t started to burn. You’ll want to work quickly and already have the can of coconut milk open.
STEP 3 Once the paste starts to stick, pour in about ¼ of the coconut milk from the can. Stir vigorously until the paste and coconut has fully incorporated. Add the rest of the coconut milk from the can, the kaffir lime leaf, and the fish sauce. Let the sauce simmer for 5-10 minutes.
STEP 4 While the sauce is simmering, you can prepare the vegetables. Cube the eggplant and toss in a bowl with oil, salt and pepper. Place on baking sheet and bake for 15-20 minutes, or until they are slightly browned and soft. Slice the cherry tomatoes in half and pick the basil off the stem. Set the vegetables aside and assemble the curry.
STEP 5 In the pot you were simmering the curry, add in the stock, cooked eggplant and cherry tomatoes. Bring the curry to a boil and stir in the basil. Remove from heat and serve. I recommend serving with Thai jasmine rice but can also be served with noodles or a nice piece of bread.
Additional Comments: This dish was made pescatarian due to the fish sauce, but you can use tamari or coconut aminos and it’s completely vegan! If you’d prefer to add in meat or seafood steak, chicken, pork, or shrimp are great options. Just be sure to cook the meat prior to adding it to the curry. You can sear it in a pan on the stove or bake it in the oven.
