Silky roasted aubergine in a fragrant and sticky sauce with Thai basil and garlic. Perfect as a main, served up with some Jasmine rice, or with your favourite side dishes, for a feast!
Inspired by a dish at one of my favourite restaurants, this dish is layered with flavour, from the aromatic garlic, Thai basil and chillies, umami from the soy sauce and vegan fish sauce, a little tang from the rice wine vinegar and sweetness from the sugar, it's lip-smackingly delicious and incredibly moreish.
The aubergine is tossed in a blend of spices, cornflour and a little oil and air-fried or oven baked until silky and tender on the inside and crisp on the outside. Then heat up the sauce until bubbling and sticky and toss in your aubergine. Serve up with some fluffy jasmine rice, mint, Thai basil and peanuts, before finishing off with a squeeze of zesty lime.
Don't forget to snap a pic of your recreations and share with me @euphoricvegan.
Sticky Thai Style Aubergine | Serves: 2 (main), 4 (side) | Time: 25 mins
You'll need
- Air fryer / lined baking tray
- Frying pan
- Chopping board
- Knife
- Measuring cups and spoons
- Mixing bowl
Ingredients
Dry coating:
- 2 medium aubergines
- 2 tsp Thai 7 spice
- Pinch salt
- Pinch sugar
- 1 tbsp cornflour
- Good drizzle oil
Sauce:
- 2 cloves garlic
- 1 medium red chili/ Thai red chili
- 1 tbsp vegan fish sauce
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 2 tbsp rice vinegar
- 1/2 cup water
- 1 tbsp sugar
- 1 tsp oil
- 1 cup loosely packed Thai basil
To serve:
- Crushed, roasted peanuts
- Handful mint leaves
- Handful Thai basil leaves
- Jasmine rice
Method
- Remove the stem from the aubergine, cut in half lengthways and then again to form wedges, then chop each long wedge in half across.
- Add to the mixing bowl with the Thai 7 spice, salt, sugar and cornflour, toss together, then drizzle over a little oil and mix together until the cornflour is saturated and no longer visible.
- Spread out in the air fryer basket and air fry on high heat (mine goes up to 215°C) for 10 minutes. Alternatively, spread out on a lined baking tray and bake at 220°C fan for 20-25 minutes.
- To make the sauce, mince the garlic and thinly slice the chili and mix together with the vegan fish sauce, soy sauce, rice vinegar, water, sugar and oil.
- Once the aubergine is cooked, heat up in a pan on a medium heat and boil for a couple of minutes. Then add in the aubergine and toss together, until the sauce has reduced to a glossy coating. Remove from the heat and stir in the Thai basil leaves.
- Garnish with crushed, roasted peanuts and a handful of mint and Thai basil. Serve up as a main with Jasmine rice or as a side with your favourite dishes and enjoy!
Cassidy xx
