I have always considered myself quite a nice person. I like food of all shapes, flavours and colours. From every country and continent. I don’t discriminate, I am an equal opportunity eater. It’s only the doctors who say I’m intolerant. And certain foods who refuse to tolerate me. They certainly refuse to recognise and respect my right to eat them without major physical discomfort and distress.


Gluten and lactose are not my friends.


Despite the negative attitudes surrounding me from many of those I love best, (cakes, ice cream, hot toast) I decided to become a chef. Not always easy when you live in a bread and milk filled world. I like to think that this has helped me become a better person as I embrace my differences and refuse to let the gluten get me down. I believe InTolerance. I am the InTolerant Chef.

Food should not be about what you can’t eat, but what you can and what you enjoy eating. This blog is about my journey of cooking and eating and discovery. It’s not a definitive guide to allergy awareness nor do my intolerances make me an expert. Your body is your responsibility, not mine. I only know what works for me.


I can tell you this..... No glutens were harmed in the making of this website.

March 23, 2013

Spicy Thai Style Eggplant and Chilli Relish




This has been a difficult garden season


With the temperature setting new records- both for actual temperature and for consecutive days of high heat, and very little rain, my veggie patch this year has been a little hit-and-miss.

I miss my peas and beans very much, but I've never experienced such a hit of chilli and eggplant/aubergine before this season either.

I guess it's swings and roundabouts, and trying to think outside the box to find unusual or enticing cookery methods to keep the same old veggies fresh and interesting night after night, after night.




I was flicking through one of my many, many, cookbooks- Spirit House's Hot Plate,  looking for an Asian inspired marinade for a BBQ, when I saw a very simple relish that sounded perfect for my plethora of eggplants and that I thought I could modify just that little bit to capitalise on my chilli too.
I changed it up a bit with my chilli hit, and to make the process a bit simpler, but it's amazing how much yumm was created from just a few ingredients and how very versatile this relish is






Spicy Thai Style Eggplant and Chilli Relish

2 Eggplant
3 long Bullnose Chili- medium heat
3 Scud Chilli- HOT!
1 Tab Laksa/Red Curry Paste
4 Tab Castor Sugar
3 Tab GF Vinegar
1 whole bunch of Coriander
Oil for frying- about 1/2 to 3/4 cup




Pop the whole chillis into a dry frypan on a medium high heat





Cook them, turning occasionally, until the skin is black and blistered and the flesh is nice and soft





Pop them in a covered bowl to steam for a few minutes and cool down just a touch.
The skin should peel off quite easily now, if it's a bit stubborn in spots, use the back of a knife to scrape it gently.Open out the chilli and also scrape out all the hard little seeds. Chop into smallish pieces- size dependant on heat hit- the hotter the chilli, the smaller you chop it!





Although we do make all our curry pastes from scratch for actual curries, I like to have a bottle of paste or two in the fridge for adding just a quick hit to a stirfy or soup base if needed. I know, I know, I just need to be more organised and have mine ready to go in the freezer, but I was all out today






Chop the eggplant into nice cubes- not too small, but ones that you can easily eat in a mouthful





Very finely chop the hot chiilli- make sure to either wear a glove or wash your hands very thoroughly afterwards!





Roughly chop all the coriander including the stems for lots of extra flavour and lovely little green flecks through the finished product too





Heat your pan and oil on a nice high heat, then toss in the eggplant pieces





Stir them often until they are a lovely golden brown- I promise mine were, even if they don't look so pretty, but I took 5 photos and not one looks brown to me, just grey and gluggy!





Add in all other ingredients except the coriander, then cook it down on medium heat until the mix turns nice and syrupy sticky





Nearly there, but don't forget to stir from time to time so the mix doesn't catch on the bottom





Once the relish has reduced to a nice syrupy glaze, turn off the heat and stir in the coriander pieces. If you put it in earlier the coriander will loose the vibrant green colour that looks so pretty in the finished product





Isn't it pretty? Sticky, sweet and spicy!





I have made pot after pot of this delish relish, and I have officially declared it my Favourite Dish Of The Summer. I've eaten it with BBQ chicken, with steak, with fish cakes, and even used it as a stirfry sauce for thick Pad Thai rice noodles- and it just doesn't get old. A squeeze of lime over the top and you have a whole new taste again with a fresh zingyness that lifts it to a whole other lever of yumm.
Instead of feeling overwhelmed with veggies, I hope my garden keeps growing eggplants for months and months to come!



So Dear Readers, are you a fan of relish, and do you ever relish a nice hit or two of chilli heat?








19 comments:

  1. Oooh, delicious Becca! And don't your eggplants look lovely, my big egg ones won't ripen for some reason, but we've had oodles of skinny ones. I've been grilling my surplus in the cafe press and freezing them - then I can pull them out for pizza and curries and the like!

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    1. Oh you clever, clever thing Celia! I never even thought of that trick! I'll be using that as quickly as the rest ripen up. Thanks so much sweetie xox PS hope you're enjoying your visitors and time off :)

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  2. I love spicy food so I'd probably go for two chillies! Relishes are wonderful for sandwiches and to add an injection of flavour so I'm a fan most definitely! :D

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    1. THe more chilli the merrier Lorraine! I left this one nice and chunky for texture- yummo :) x

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  3. I love eggplant! Just have never attempted to cook with it before...

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    1. You cook so many challenging things- I know you have 'cause I've seen them on your blog- so don't try and tell me you're afraid of eggplant? You so need to change this, and SOON, I know you can do it! PS. I'll be checking your blog to make sure :)

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    2. Ooops, I realised that sounded a bit cyber-stalky... Sorry! I promise I'm not scary... :)

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  4. Here in Toronto we are still scraping ice off of our windshields in the morning - so strange to think of it being too hot in the garden. Very envious of your crop - particularly your heavy load of zucchini - time to make lots of cakes and muffins!

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    1. We're still enjoying the heat here for sure, but our icy days will come soon enough :( I'm definitely sneaking zucchini into everything- and the family hasn't even realised it yet!

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  5. Your veggies look wonderful! What a yummy dish! Here in B.C. we too are scraping ice off of the windshields...then rain, sun, hail, back to rain, but at least it is spring time!

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    1. Thanks sweetie. My sister lived up your way for a year Ina, and she loved it! I'm so glad our winters aren't as harsh as yours, but we are hoping to get rain storms this weekend for change :)

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  6. YUM! I love how everything else can be simple if you have it with an amazing saucy thing. :-)
    If this comment works... I will be doing a little happy dance...

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    1. Still having trouble Janet? Grrr... I've been locked out of commenting on a couple of great blogs too for some reason- so frustrating!!
      I love a bit of zing to bling up some ordinary food and make it zazzy :)

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  7. Oh this looks so delicious!! It is funny, I have an abundance of eggplant and peppers in my garden, I was nearly going to ask if anyone had a new recipe as I am tired of ratatouille, babaganoush and lentil moussaka. Now I can make this dish too.

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    1. Thanks sweetie. I hope you like it- let me know! Check out Celia's tip for the eggplant in her comment up top too- so clever!

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  8. An amazing & tasty recipe, my friend! Yummmmm! I must try this tonight!

    It is so versatile to use & combine too! The possibilities are endless,.....:)

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    1. Thanks so much Sophie! I love a bit of a chilli hit! SE Asian flavours are definitely my favourites :)

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  9. Yes! This looks amazing. Shame about the weather this year - it just won't play ball! Love the idea of using this as a sauce for thick rice noodles.

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  10. Mmmm eggplant. This looks amazing. I never grew up eating eggplant, mum's not a fan. Now? Obsessed. I could give or take relish, but LOVE chilli.
    Heidi xo

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