“I learned to cook by watching my grandmother and sister. In Fiji, I enjoyed eating Shepherd’s pie and fish cooked in coconut milk. I just love food! Talking about food is like music to my ears. Even when there is nothing in the house I can put things together and make something good to eat. Leftovers, all held together with mashed potatoes and baked with lots of cheese on top. Mmmm!”
Baked Coconut Aubergine
Ingredients
Serves 3-4 people
- 2-3 medium aubergines
- 4 tomatoes, chopped
- 1 onion, peeled and finely chopped
- 1 x 400g tin coconut milk
- salt and pepper to taste
- vegetable oil for frying
Batter:
- 1 egg
- 1 cup flour
- 1/2 teaspoon baking powder
- 1 1/2 cups water
- 1 pinch salt
Start by making your batter
1. Pop the flour, baking powder and salt in a mixing bowl and pour in the water.
2. Add the egg and mix together to a smooth, lump free batter, adding a little more water if needed.
Now for the aubergine
3. Preheat your oven to 200°c.
4. Chop off the leafy top and slice lengthways into 1/4 inch strips.
5. Heat enough vegetable oil to form a thin layer in a heavy bottomed frying pan.
6. Dip each of your aubergine strips into the batter, then carefully add to the pan, frying until golden brown.
7. Aubergines are like little sponges for oil, so once they’re cooked, blot onto kitchen towel to remove excess.
8. Layer the aubergine to line the bottom of a baking dish, overlapping and stacking as you need, until all the aubergine has been used.
9. Scatter over the chopped onion and tomatoes, sprinkle with salt and pepper and pour over the coconut milk, as evenly as you can.
10. Pop into the oven and bake until golden, about 25-30 minutes.
