Erawan's Red Curry Lobster

• 1/2 cup unsweetened coconut cream, see Cook's Note
• 2 tablespoons red curry paste, recipe follows
• 1 1/3 cup coconut milk, see Cook's Note
• 6 Thai eggplant, cut in chunks*
• 2 tablespoons fish sauce*
• 1/4 teaspoon kosher salt
• 1 1/3 teaspoons sugar
• 5 kaffir lime leaves, torn into small pieces*
• 12 to 14 ounces cooked lobster meat, coarsely chopped
• 1/3 cup basil leaves
• 2 red finger hot chiles, thinly sliced, for garnish*
• Serving suggestion: steamed rice

1. *Available at Asian markets
2. Bring the coconut cream to a simmer over medium heat in a large, deep skillet or Dutch oven.
3. Add the red curry paste and simmer, stirring, for several minutes.
4. Add the coconut milk, simmer for 1 to 2 minutes then add the eggplant, fish sauce, salt, sugar and kaffir lime leaves.
5. Simmer the curry until the eggplant is soft and cooked, about 15 minutes.
6. Add the lobster and basil and heat through.
7. Spoon the curry into a serving bowl, garnish with sliced chiles and serve with rice.
8. Cook's Note: Coconut cream and milk are produced by pureeing coconut with an equal amount of hot water.
9. The mixture is then squeezed through a fine cloth.
10. The resulting liquid will clearly separate with the cream rising to the top.
11. One coconut yields approximately 1 cup of cream.
12. The amount of milk will vary slightly and can be increased by squeezing the pureed coconut with a little additional hot water.
13. 1 tablespoon coriander seeds
14. 1 teaspoon cumin seeds
15. 15 dried birds-eye chiles, soaked in hot water for 15 minutes
16. 3 tablespoons finely chopped shallots
17. 4 tablespoons finely chopped garlic
18. 2 tablespoons thinly sliced fresh lemongrass
19. 3 kaffir lime leaves, minced
20. 20 black peppercorns
21. 1 teaspoon dried shrimp paste*
22. Water
23. *Available at Asian markets
24. Toast the coriander and cumin seeds in a small pan over very low heat until fragrant, about 5 minutes.
25. In a spice grinder or mortar, grind the seeds to a fine powder.
26. Transfer the spice powder to a blender.
27. Add the chiles, shallots, garlic, lemongrass, lime leaves, peppercorns and shrimp paste.
28. Puree, adding water a tablespoon at a time, until the mixture forms a thick paste.
29. Store covered in a cool dry place.

unsweetened coconut cream, red curry, coconut milk, eggplant, fish sauce, kosher salt, sugar, lime, lobster, basil, red finger, suggestion

Taken from www.foodnetwork.com/recipes/erawans-red-curry-lobster-recipe.html (may not work)