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Garlic: Garlic is in the same family as onions and leeks, and purportedly provided ancient Roman soldiers the courage to battle the barbarians. Whether or not it gives you courage, it is known to lower blood pressure, which is great for your heart and helps prevent stroke. In addition, it has a long history as a digestive aid, so don't be shy with this wonderful herb, no matter what it does to your breath!
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Recipe

Jungle Curry with Pork and Thai Eggplant

serves
prep time: 10
cook time: 22

ingredients

  • 1 pound Thai apple eggplants (see cooks' note, below)
  • 2 tablespoons to 1/4 cup vegetable oil
  • 1 dash Thai red curry paste
  • 1 1/2 pounds pork tenderloin, halved lengthwise, then sliced crosswise 0.25 inch thick
  • 1/3 cup julienne strips peeled fresh or frozen grachai (lesser galangal or wild ginger, thawed if frozen) or drained bottled grachai, rinsed, or ginger
  • 1/3 cup Chinese long beans or green beans, cut into 1 inch pieces
  • 8 canned baby corn, rinsed, drained, and halved lengthwise
  • 1 1/2 cups Thai chicken stock
  • 3 tablespoons nam pla (Asian fish sauce, preferably Thai)
  • 5 (4 inch-long) fresh or frozen Kaffir lime leaves (sometimes called bai makroot)
  • 1 fresh chee fah chile or 2 red jalapeñ,o chiles, thinly sliced crosswise and seeds discarded
  • 1/4 teaspoon salt
  • 1 cup loosely packed bai grapao (holy basil leaves)
  • Special equipment: a large (1 1/2 gallons) wok
  • Accompaniment: Thai pickled garlic (gratiam dong)

directions

Trim eggplants and cut into 1 inch wedges (do this just before heating oil to avoid discoloration).

Heat oil (see above) in wok over moderate heat until warm, about 30 seconds. Add curry paste (to taste) and cook, stirring constantly, until very fragrant and a shade darker, 3 minutes. Add pork and stir-fry over high heat until no longer pink on outside, 2 minutes. Add eggplant, grachai, beans, baby corn, and stock and simmer, stirring, until eggplant is crisp-tender, 4 minutes. Add fish sauce, lime leaves, chile, and salt and bring to a boil, then remove from heat. Stir in half of basil.

Serve topped with remaining basil.

Cooks' note:

Long slender Asian eggplant can be substituted for Thai apple eggplant. Thai apple eggplant is traditionally eaten raw or crisp-tender, but Asian eggplant needs to be precooked. Cut Asian eggplant into 1 inch cubes and toss with 1 tablespoon vegetable oil, then bake in 1 layer in a shallow baking pan in a preheated 400 degrees oven until crisp-tender, about 12 minutes. Proceed with recipe.