Thai Aubergine Curry Recipe Britain's Best Home Cook

Ingredients

• 5 tbsp sunflower oil
• 2 aubergines, cut into batons 2cm (¾in) thick
• 1 onion, peeled and quartered
• 4 garlic cloves, peeled
• 3cm (about 1in) piece of fresh root ginger, peeled
• 2 sticks of lemongrass, tough outer leaves removed, roughly chopped
• 5 cardamom pods
• 1 tbsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp coriander seeds
• 1 tsp ground tumeric
• ¼ tsp ground nutmeg
• 1 tbsp caster sugar
• 3 tbsp peanut or cashew butter
• 400ml (14fl oz) coconut milk
• 250ml (9fl oz) chicken stock
• 1 fresh red chilli, de-seeded and sliced
• 150g (5oz) fresh spinach, washed
• 2 tbsp fish sauce
• 1 tbsp fresh lemon juice
• small handful of Thai basil leaves
• sea salt
• cooked rice, to serve