this week's meal plan

It's a pretty straightforward week for dinners. We have a preschool information evening on Wednesday and everyone is bringing a plate so I'm going to make my trusty carrot cake.

I've made Thursdays dinner today so I can reheat it after work on Thursday evening. My secret ingredient for bolognaise is a good lug of wine which evaporates while it simmers. I also add plenty of veggies. The Vietnamese eggplant dish comes from our visit to the Red Bridge Cooking School in Hội An, Vietnam. I found a little surprise in an onion today... grubs.

What are you eating this week? Do you plan your meals ahead of time or do you grab ingredients on your way home?

Monday - Vietnamese eggplant in clay pot
Tuesday - Pizza night at our local (& really yummy) gourmet pizza restaurant. Two for $20 on Mondays & Tuesdays.
Wednesday - Preschool information evening: nibblies.
Thursday - Meat with four veg aka bolognaise with zucchini, carrot, tomato & onion.
Friday - Omelette with fresh eggs.

Vietnamese eggplant in clay pot - serves four

Ingredients
2 teaspoons peanut oil
1 clove garlic - finely chopped
2 tomatoes - quartered, inner section and seeds removed
1 lemongrass stalk - finely chopped (keep stalk)
1 spring onion - cut into 3cm lengths
2 Asian (long & thin) eggplants, cut not 4cm long & 1cm wide pieces
1 red chilli - cut into thin strips
1 1/2 tablespoons fish sauce*
1 teaspoon sugar
1 pinch turmeric
1 punch of pepper
Basil

Method
Put medium sized clay pot** on heat, add oil and stir in garlic until fragrant.
Add tomato and lemongrass to the pot (not lemongrass stalk).
Add 2 tablespoons water and stir.
Allow mixture to simmer for approx 2 minutes.
Add fish sauce & sugar - mix well.

Add eggplant and pour in a cup of water.
Add another 1/2 teaspoon fish sauce and sugar - mix well.
Add turmeric, pepper & lemongrass stalk.
Allow mixture to simmer for approx 5 minutes (until the eggplant is tender).
Add the spring onion lengths and simmer for a further 2 minutes coating the spring onions with the juices so they caramelise.

Garnish with basil, coriander and chilli.

Serve hot with steamed rice.

* I had run out of fish sauce so I dissolved a teaspoon of shrimp paste in a 1/3 cup of hot water.
** I used a heavy bottomed frying pan.