Saucy Eggplant and Peanut Curry

This one was never going to make the cut but it surprised us with it's moreish saucy-ness and Craig begged to to add it to the site. Inspired by the fresh Kaffir Lime leaves and an eggplant purchased today at the sunday market,I went for the thai flavours. i left the chilli out so that the fussy toddler might be persuaded to try it but I shouldn't have bothered cos she turned her nose up and ate a dinner of cherry tomatoes, broccoli and bread.

1 large eggplant
3T cooking oil (peanut would be great)
1 onion
1T grated ginger
2t cumin
2t coriander
1/2t turmeric
2 fresh kaffir lime leaves (roll and cut into thin slivers)
1/3c tomato paste
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 c water
1/4c crunchy peanut butter
Handful of fresh coriander leaves
To taste
1T brown sugar
1T lime or lemon juice
Fish sauce or salt
Fresh or dried chilli


Cut eggplant into cubes around 1.5cm, fry in wok or large pot with a couple of sluggs of oil - cook until browned (about 10 to 15 mins - you will need to stir so they don't stick. Put to one side when cooked.

Add another slug of oil and fry chopped onion, tumeric, cumin, coriander, kaffir leaves, and ginger until onion is transparent.

Mix tomato paste into onion and spices and cook for another minute.

Add eggplant, tomatoes, water and sugar and cook for about 15mins.

Put peanut butter into a bowl and mix with a little of the liquid from the curry, then add to curry in pot and cook for another 5 mins.

Turn off heat and add fresh coriander, lime (or lemon juice) and a splash of fish sauce or salt.

Now taste and adjust the sweet, salt, heat and sour to suit our palate.

Tasty Vege Stew

i thought my first recipe would be fresh and summery given that it is mid Jan - but instead a southerly storm is blowing through wellington and I felt more like something warming and hearty. Craig gave it 4/5, Maia picked the sausage, beans and peas out and ate them, Jake loved it all but managed to drop most of it on the ground where Sophie did the doggy thing and cleaned it all up.

1 large onion (diced)
2T olive oil
1t cumin seed
1t thyme
2 bay leaves
2t vege stock powder
1/4c red wine
3c water
1 can tomatoes
4 vege sausages
3 carrots (diced)
1 large potato (diced)
1 large kumara (diced)
1/2c brown or puy lentils
1/2c peas
1 can kidney beans

Brown onions in oil in large pan
Add thyme and cumin and stir for another couple of minutes
Mix in red wine
Add water, tomatoes, lentils, bay leaves, carrots, potatos, kumara, vege stock
Slice sausages into 2cm rounds and brown in a pan, add to stew
Simmer for at least 30mins (longer the better)
Add peas and kidney beans and cook another 10mins
Serve with yoghurt and crusty bread.

let's get started

ok so i'm new to this - but everyone else seems to do it! i'm not a great one for writing but the purpose of this blog is to collect, index and make notes on the many recipes that i experiment with on a daily basis. there are so many wonderful sources of recipes on the net bt i'm not one for sticking to a recipe or printing it out for later so hopefully this will help me keep track. perhaps i can even share these recipes with others.