*Gluten Free, Dairy Free, Soy Free, Refined Sugar Free, Egg Free
 
Ingredients:
CURRY PASTE:
1 cinnamon stick
1 tsp. whole cumin seeds
1 tsp. whole coriander seeds
1 tsp. white peppercorns
7 dried birdseye chillies soaked in ¼ cup boiling water
4-6 (220g) shallots or small onions peeled and halved
4cm length lemongrass
8 cloves garlic (or less if the cloves are bigger than average)
3cm piece of ginger, peeled
1 tsp. curry powder
1 tsp. shrimp paste
1 tsp. ground turmeric
 
CURRY:
2 large or 4 small eggplants
Olive oil or coconut oil spray (or you can brush the oil on with a pastry brush)
80g peanut oil
1 medium onion, halved
350g thick coconut cream
2 bay leaves
Full quantity of your prepared curry paste
1kg diced gravy beef or other meat suitable for slow cooking (which basically covers any cheap cut!)
20g fish sauce
10g thick tamarind paste (seeds removed)
10g coconut sugar
 
 
Method:
PASTE:
In a frying pan dry roast cumin seeds, peppercorns, coriander seeds and cinnamon over a medium heat.
Remove and allow to cool. Grind in a coffee grinder or mortar and pestle to a fine powder.
Place chillies and their soaking liquid with the ground spices in a food processor. Add the remaining ingredients and process to a smooth paste.
 
Thermomix Instructions:
Place cinnamon stick in TM bowl and grind 1 min/ speed 9.
Add cumin, coriander seeds and peppercorns to the TM bowl and dry roast 3 Mins/Varoma temp on speed 2. Grind 1 min / Speed 9.
Add chillies, along with soaking water, and all remaining paste ingredients and puree into a smooth paste on speed 6 for 30 seconds. You may need to scrape down the sides of the bowl and do this again. Set aside.
 
CURRY:
Slice the eggplant into thick (1.5cm) slices, spray with olive or coconut oil spray and grill on each side until browned evenly. Set aside
Slice the onion thinly.  Heat oil to a heavy based frying pan and fry onion until golden brown.
Add the coconut cream and add to the hot pan with bay leaf, and prepared curry paste and pan fry until fragrant and browned.
Add beef and cook, stirring for 1 minute.
Reduce the heat to low and add fish sauce, tamarind,and coconut sugar. Stir to combine and bring to a simmer. If at this stage it’s looking dry add enough water to barely cover the meat.  Cover and simmer on a very low heat for 40 minutes.
Slice the grilled eggplant into large cubes and add it to the pan. Continue to simmer 20 minutes.
Serve with your rice of choice or cooked quinoa if desired, and top with a nice *cucumber raita if you can tolerate dairy. (*See recipe below) and garnish with fresh coriander.
 
 
Thermomix Instructions:
Slice the eggplant into thick (1.5cm) slices, spray with olive or coconut oil spray and grill on each side until browned evenly. Set aside
Add onion to the Thermomix bowl and chop 2 Sec / Speed 5.
Add oil and sauté onions 15 min/ Varoma  / speed 1 with MC removed.  
Add coconut cream to the Thermomix bowl along with all of the curry paste and the bay leaves. Leave MC off and place basket on top of Thermomix bowl lid, to prevent any splatters. Cook 5 mins /  Varoma  / speed 1.
Add beef, tamarind, fish sauce and coconut sugar to sauce, and cook for 40 mins / 90C / Reverse speed 1.
Dice the grilled and cooled eggplant slices. Add it to the TM bowl and cook a further 20 mins/ 100C / Reverse speed 1.
Serve with your rice of choice or cooked quinoa if desired, and top with a nice *cucumber raita if you can tolerate dairy. (*See recipe below) and garnish with fresh coriander.
 
*Cucumber Raita
 
Ingredients:
1 medium Lebanese cucumber, grated or simply halved lengthwise and thinly sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
250g (1 cup) Greek yogurt
Handful or fresh coriander or mint leaves, chopped finely
 
Method:
Simply combine all of the ingredients in a small bowl and mix with a large dessert spoon until combined.