Aubergine & Lemongrass Curry

About two years ago we left Sweden to travel the world with Elsa. She was only six months old at the time, and we had no idea what to expect or how things would go. I remember when we sat there in the airplane just before take-off; It all starts here, I thought to myself. And it definitely did. After a few unbelievable months in California, China and Vietnam, we finally ended up in Thailand. We spent our time there on beaches, in small bungalows and at exotic markets, completely isolated from the reality. Those months were magical. And our little family became tighter than we had ever been before.

As I sit here in our bedroom, watching the dark silhouettes outside and feeling the cold air from the windows, that whole trip feels like a distant dream. One way of making that dream less unreal is to look through all the travel photos that we have. Another is to simply enter the kitchen.

We recreated this curry from a faded memory of a dinner that we had on the beach of Koh Tao. What we remember most strongly about it was the distinct lemongrass flavor and the softly cooked aubergine that nearly melted on our tongues. In Thailand they often use a much smaller type of aubergine, but since they are hard to come by here, we used a large one that we cut in wedges. The brussel sprouts and apples are our own seasonal add-ins. Brussels sprouts might seem unconventional in a curry, but they fit right in. And the apples add a nice sweetness to it.

It’s remarkable how a memory can be so easily activated by a flavor or smell. I just have to take the backside of my knife and crush a stalk of lemongrass, and I’m right there on that beach again.

Lemongrass, Aubergine & Brussels Sprout Curry
4 servings

3 tbsp extra virgin coconut oil
4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
1 inch (2, 1/2 cm) fresh ginger, finely chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, crushed and finely chopped
1/2 tsp dried chili flakes
2 tsp turmeric
1 tsp mustard seeds, ground in a mortar
1 medium size aubergine/eggplant, cut in wedges
2 small apples, cut in small dices

1 cup (240 ml) water
1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
1 can (1 2/3 cup / 400 ml) coconut milk
3 cups (300 g) brussels sprouts, cut in halves
1-2 tsp sea salt

Serve with:
Black rice for 4 persons
A handful fresh thai basil and fresh coriander/cilantro

Heat oil in a large pot on medium high heat. Add garlic and sauté for about a minute, then add all 5 spices, lower the heat a bit and stir constantly to ensure they do not burn. Add the aubergine wedges one by one. Make sure all wedges get soaked in the spicy oil. Then add the apple and fry everything for a few minutes. Add water and apple cider vinegar, cover with a lid and let cook for about 20 minutes or until the veggies are tender. Meanwhile, cook the black rice. Add coconut milk, brussels sprouts and salt to the curry and let simmer for about 10 minutes more. Stir in a generous handful of fresh thai basil and coriander. Serve with black rice and some salad on the side.

73 Comments

  • Just made it and is very very nice! Thanks for sharing!!
  • Susan
    Just made a pot of your curry and I have to say, it's amazing. Just as every one of your recipes I used so far. Looking forward for your 2nd book!
  • AG
    Love the website and stories
  • Gabby
    What kind of apple do you recommend?
  • This is such an unusual but utterly amazing curry! I made it last night and we really enjoyed it. Also added toasted cashews and pomegranate molasses to finish. This will definitely be repeat.
  • Hi, Love your website! Just wondering if the app will be released for android in the near future? Suvannah
  • Katerina
    Made it last night and it was delicious and nobody missed the meat :) Thank you again for being so inspirational and for making the autumn days even prettier!
  • Renata
    I cooked this yesterday, and I have to say it was Far tastier than I thought it would be! I mean, I knew it would be delicious, but when I tasted it... WOW!! Thankyou :)
  • Cristina
    OMG!!! So I went out to get all the ingredients to make this, and when I got home I realized I forgot to buy lemongrass!!!! Total bummer. I could have waited to tomorrow or later but my craving was not gonna let up. So I made it and added leeks- delicious!!! Can't wait to make it with Lemongrass though.. great recipe. my house smells like heave. Thank you GKS! Cristina :)
  • Hey, I really love this curry! I made it for my Mum and dad last night and they said that it was one of the freshest curries and they loved it. You Guys are my favourite blog, I just love all the things you post, your approach to food, and the lovely stories that go along with them! I am going to make EVERYTHING on your blog! Well I’ll try at least ;) Lots of love, Laura xxx
  • Becca
    Just made this, only thing I was missing was the fresh basil/cilantro, and I used some coconut rice I already had in the fridge instead of black rice. I also would probably sub out the brussel sprouts next time for broccoli but it wasn't bad! The flavor goes, I guess it's just a preference think
  • Oh, another wonderful dish from your fantastic website. Thank you guys! So much lighter and fresher than curries I normally make. No brussel sprouts available, so I used broccoli (and brown rice instead of black rice) and that worked well.
  • melissa
    Hi, is there anything that I can substitute the coconut cream for thats similar? Love your blog :) x Melissa
  • Lara
    Hello, first of all: love your blog! Reading your texts an stories it seems to me like your living the dream :) Secondly: I've got a question regarding this recipe, which is among the top things on my list of things I'd love to try. Unfortunately, brussels sprouts' season is over here, so I was wondering if i could use some other vegetable instead? Do you have any suggestion maybe what would fit in with this curry? I can't wait till autumn for trying this... ;) Really looking forward to hearing from you, all the best, Lara
    • Dear Lara, thank you for your kind comment! I'd guess that you could use some of the other veggies from the cabbage family, like spring cabbage or broccoli. Happy cooking! Best Luise
  • Mar Zum
    You mention 6 spices in the instructions but there are only 5, counting the lemongrass and ginger but not the garlic since that's already heated, in the list. Is something missing?
  • sasha
    Made this last night without the spouts, mmmm had it with your wonderful eggplant pickle ( now thats a keeper), found this site last week and already am addicted, great job
  • Silvia Jansen
    I cooked his several times, very yummy, today i made a variation and posted it in my blog, http://silvias-foodblog.blogspot.de/2013/03/thaicurry-mit-pak-choy-maiskolbchen.html
  • Justine
    oh my goodness, this was a treat. I love me some aubergine, sprouts and apples. How nice to enjoy them all in a light and flavourful thai curry. Tip: I whizzed all the spices in a food processor, which quickly took care of "crushing" the lemongrass. I'm new to vegetarianism, but your recipes are assuring me I'm headed in the right direction. Thank you for the inspiration!
  • Veronika
    I want to give you feedback for this particular recipe and also for the whole blog. I tried this curry and have to say I absolutely loved it! It is perfectly balanced, I could just eat it forever :) Plus, the whole thing you are doing is gorgeous. I've gone through lots of food blogs and recipe webpages, but I have to admit that I find yours the best. Recipes are delicious and usually not too difficult to prepare, the design is appealing too. The whole thing just seems true and inspirational. Thank you for that! Hope you will always enjoy what you're doing and encourage people to eat good food :) Veronika
  • Hello, love your blog, get a lot of inspiration from it. A couple of weeks ago, i made (an adapted version of) this curry. Main adaptions: i added cashenuts for some crunch, and i added the apple just before serving, so it stays very fresh. Here's my recipe, in Dutch ;.) http://bijnanetzolekkeralsthuis.blogspot.nl/2012/11/curry-met-aubergine-spruitjes.html Btw, how can i learn to make those beautiful pics? Groeten, Johanneke
  • Heli
    Hej, Ni har verkligen en underbar receptbank, tackar så innerligt för det. God fortsättning till er på året 2013
  • Christina
    Made this for dinner tonight following the recipe exactly. Both myself and my boyfriend agree it is delicious. Thank you!
  • Emma
    I made this for dinner last night and it was delicious. I'll definitely be making it again. I've even got leftovers for lunch today. Lucky me :-)
  • Just had to let you know that I made brussel sprouts as a side dish but with curry recipe above and they were a great hit. Thanks again!
  • Yolandi
    I can't wait to try this! I found myself addicted to green curry since visiting Thailand. Will be comparing this to my adapted green curry recipe I was taught in Chiang Mai. Nostalgia.
  • femmebot
    FYI — It's Brussels sprouts (named after the country), not Brussel
    • Thank you, note taken. And for your information – Brussels is a city, not a country. ;-) /David
  • elide
    I am addicted to your amazing website:)! At the moment on the stove i have made for tomorrow night's dinner your aubergine and lemongrass curry YUM! Curries always taste better the next day and looking forward to serving this one up to my curry eager friends! Also it will be my 3rd time making your bean brownie, i play the game of guess the secret ingredient! Thank you again for your amazing dedication to your beautiful recipes and stories behind them :)
  • things i was nervous about: 1) brussel sprouts (i don't really like em) 2) the flavour of the curry if i wasn't using a paste (i've never had much success at making them from scratch) 3) the apples 4) whether it would reeeeally serve 4 hungry people. but for some reason it just looked SO GOOD in your pictures i was compelled to make it. And since it was pretty much the best tasting homemade curry i have EVER tried, (and seconded by husband and 1.5 year old daughter) i figured i should leave a comment to say thank you for taking such great photos (and following with the recipe). All my fears were put at ease after tasting this. will definitely be making it again!
  • I made this for a Thai dinner party last weekend, everyone said how tasty it was. I never usually buy aubergines but will from now on!!!
  • Thanks for a great recipe! I made this last night and I already know it's gonna be one of my favorites. Using brussels sprouts surprised me, but the taste went very well with the other ingredients in this dish :)

Leave a comment