Serves 4
Prep: 15 min

Cook: 15 min

3 small aubergines, approx 200g each
1 tbsp vegetable oil
2 tbsp lime juice
3 tbsp peanut/groundnut oil
1 small red chilli
2 garlic cloves
2 tsp caster sugar
1 tbsp Thai fish sauce (nam pla)
4 tbsp chopped coriander
About 20 small mint leaves
4 firm tuna steaks, 100g each
1 tbsp olive oil

METHOD

Preheat the oven to 425F/220C/gas mark 7. Trim, then quarter the aubergines lengthways. Quickly paint with vegetable oil, arrange, cut side up, in a roasting tin and roast for about 15 minutes until the flesh is scorched and soft. Leave to cool.

Whisk together the lime juice and peanut oil. Trim and finely chop the chilli, discarding the seeds. Peel and finely chop the garlic, sprinkle with a generous pinch of salt and crush to a paste. Add chilli, garlic, caster sugar and half the fish sauce to the lemon juice and oil, and stir. Add the remaining fish sauce if not salty enough. Stir in the coriander. Strip the skins off the aubergines and chop in short lengths. Pile them into a bowl and spoon the dressing over. Scatter with mint.

Smear the tuna with olive oil. Heat a heavy frying pan until very hot, then cook the tuna, turning after 30 seconds when you see a white line round the base of the fish. Cook for a further 30 seconds – you want the tuna pink in the middle. Pile the aubergine salad over and serve.

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