Malaysian-Style Coconutty Pepper & Aubergine Curry

Boil half a kettle

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and roughly chop your ginger

Peel and chop your shallots into wedges, then peel and chop your garlic roughly

Crush your cardamom pod[s] open by squashing with the side of a knife and discard the outer green pod (reserve the seeds!)

Add the cardamom seed[s] to a pestle & mortar with your ground cumin, coriander seeds and a pinch of salt and grind to a coarse powder – this is your curry spice mix

Tip: If you don't have a pestle & mortar, crush the coriander seeds by squashing them with the side of a knife

Add the chopped ginger and garlic to a food processor with half the shallot wedges (you'll use the rest later), your curry spice mix and 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] cold water and blitz until smooth – this is your Malaysian-style curry paste

Trim the green stalk[s] off your aubergine[s] and chop into bite-sized pieces

Deseed your pepper[s] (scrape the seeds and pith out with a teaspoon) and chop into bite-sized pieces

Chop your creamed coconut roughly (if required!)

Dissolve your vegetable stock mix, chopped creamed coconut and tamarind paste in 250ml [325ml] [450ml] boiled water with a pinch of sugar – this is your coconut stock

Add your basmati rice and 300ml [390ml] [600ml] cold water to a pot with a lid and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to very low and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until all the water has absorbed and the rice is cooked

Once cooked, remove from the heat and keep covered until serving

Heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick with a matching lid) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium-high heat

Once hot, add the Malaysian-style curry paste, ground turmeric and 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] flour and cook for 1 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add the chopped pepper, chopped aubergine, remaining shallot wedges and a generous pinch of salt and cook for 3-4 min or until the veg is fully coated and starting to soften

Once starting to soften, add the coconut stock and your chilli flakes (can't handle the heat? Go easy!) and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium-high and cook, covered, for 10-12 min or until the veg is tender – this is your Malaysian-style coconutty pepper & aubergine curry