OKAY. I’m about to change your mind on eggplant.
Because I know approximately 84% of you just read “eggplant” and knee-jerk threw your laptop into a goldfish pond.
I know.
But this is the thing (!) – we were at the Farmer’s Market a few weekends back, and you know how you always see those organized little buckets of the cutest, most stunning little baby eggplants all in a row, and you’re like, “Those are so pretty. I wish I liked eggplant.” And then your huzby is like, “Get those eggplants. They’re too perfect not to experiment with.” And then you’re like, “But I actually hate eggplant. It’s soggy, oxidized mush disguised in a shiny purple romper.” And he’s like, “Your face is soggy, oxidized mush disguised in a shiny purple romper.” And then you buy them?
Right.
BUT GUESS WHAT I DISCOVERED.
Hold on, I’ll tell you.
Baby eggplants hold UP, man.
You are going to flip out over this. It’s easy. It’s curry! It’s flavor for days.
Just watch.
So like, originally I was going to hollow them out and stuff them with beefy curry. And then upon that first scoop of eggplant flesh, I was like NERP, gonna slice these. No one’s going to hollow and stuff. No one. So we’re keeping it simple. And life was good again.
In a pan, you’ll sauté some red onion, fresh ginger and garlic. Your kitchen smells RIDIC right. And you want to stick your entire head in that. But refrain. We have sauce to add.
You’ll THEEEEN add the ground beef. Get it good and browned all over, then add the sliced eggplant. Keep tossing and sautéing with the eggplant (I typed eppglant) until they juuuust start to soften, and the eggplant gets some nice color all over. It takes a little while! Don’t give up.
After about 10 minutes of eggplant and beef dating, scoot that ish to the side and add a couple Tbs. of green curry paste. THIS IS WHERE IT ALL HAPPENS.
Press the paste into the pan for a few seconds, until it sort of blooms up all in your face, then pour in the coconut milk! Whisk it into the whole pan and let it simmer for about five minutes. If that. Super quick. It’s saucy and luscious and gorgeous and you literally can’t even.
In goes the lime juice. This WAKES IT UP. But you know this.
Freshly chopped scallions and peanuts on top omg.
It is SERIOUSLY amazing. More than you would expect, I swear. The lime makes all the flavors just dance in your face, and the beef and eggplant are beyond perfect together.
And no mush! No sog! Only happy days.
Happy mouths.
Happy tum tums. (<–no.)
Make thiiiiiiiiis!
Ingredients
- 1 Tbs. extra-virgin olive oil
- 1/2 a red onion, finely diced
- 1 inch of fresh ginger, minced
- 3 or 4 garlic cloves, minced
- 1 pound grass-fed beef
- About a pound of baby eggplant, stemmed and sliced
- 2-3 Tbs. green curry paste
- 1 (15 oz) can coconut milk
- One lime
- Coarse salt, to taste
- About a cup of chopped scallions
- Chopped peanuts, for garnish
- 2 cups cooked white rice
Instructions
- Heat the oil in a large skillet over medium-high. Add the onion and ginger, and sauté for about five minutes, until they start to become tender. Add the garlic and sauté another 30 seconds, until fragrant. Add the ground beef and brown it in the pan with the veggies. Then add the sliced eggplant, along with a pinch of salt, and sauté until the eggplant begins to soften and brown, anywhere from 5-10 minutes.
- Scoot the mix to the side of the pan, then add a couple Tbs. of green curry paste. Press the paste into the pan, letting it bloom and become fragrant. Then add the coconut milk, whisking into the paste. Simmer the sauce about five more minutes, and squirt in the juice from half the lime. Toss together until you begin to weep.
- Garnish with chopped scallions and peanuts, and serve over white rice!
- Serves four.
I’m now officially into eppglant. Eggplant.
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