My dear friend Martha Deaton was raised in Malaysia, where she and her sisters learned to cook traditional Malaysian dishes from their mother. Martha’s sister, Margaret Hughes, has built a thriving London catering business based on the dishes of her homeland. The following is one of her most popular recipes. Although this dish, like so many Asian dishes, is traditionally prepared on top of the stove, I think it works well in the slow cooker. See what you think. Serve it hot, on a bed of steamed rice.

　　

Ingredients

serves 4

　　1 eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch cubes

　　1 1/2 cups water

　　1 tablespoon coriander seeds

　　1 tablespoon fennel seeds

　　1 teaspoon cumin seeds

　　1 onion, peeled and cut into chunks

　　2-inch piece lemon grass, sliced (use the tender bottom 2 inches of the stem), or 1 teaspoon ground dried lemon grass

　　1 teaspoon ground galangal (sometimes called Thai ginger; see Note below)

　　1 teaspoon salt, plus more to taste

　　1 (about 14 ounces) can coconut cream (see Note on page 22)

　　1 to 2 tablespoons tamarind concentrate (see Note below)

　　1 tablespoon soy sauce

　　1 green bell pepper, seeded, deveined, and cut into chunks

　　1/4 cup macadamia nuts

　　3 serrano or jalapeño chiles, stemmed, seeded, deveined, and cut into chunks

　　1 tablespoon vegetable oil

　　12 ounces fresh green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces

　　3 ounces napa cabbage, thinly sliced (about 3 cups)

　　

Step 1

Place the eggplant in the slow cooker insert with 1/2 cup water. Cover and cook on low for about 3 hours, or until the chunks are somewhat tender.

　　

Step 2

In an electric coffee mill or a mortar and pestle, grind the coriander, fennel, and cumin seeds to a powder.

　　

Step 3

In a blender, combine the onion, lemon grass, galangal, ground spices, 1 teaspoon salt, coconut cream, tamarind concentrate, the remaining cup of water, soy sauce, bell pepper, nuts, chiles, and oil until you have a nice, fragrant sauce. Set aside.

　　

Step 4

When the eggplant pieces are nearly tender, add the green beans and cabbage and continue to cook for another 30 minutes, or until the green beans and cabbage are also tender.

　　

Step 5

About 10 minutes before serving, stir in the sauce and add salt to taste. Serve hot.

　　

Note

Step 6

Ingredients such as ground galangal (or fresh galangal root, if you’re lucky enough to find it), tamarind concentrate, and lemon grass can be found at Asian markets and sometimes at regular supermarkets where there is a significant Asian population. For an especially quick and easy version of this dish, purchase generic green curry paste at an Asian market instead of making the sauce from scratch.

　　

Suggested Beverage

Step 7

Something white, crisp, and refreshing, perhaps a Canadian Gewürztraminer or a New Zealand Sauvignon Blanc.

　　Gourmet Vegetarian Slow Cooker