Brinjals grilled spicy

I have a large, black steel bowl that you can fill with charcoal and cover with iron mesh to form a basic outdoor grill. It is just the thing on which to toast a few aubergines marinated with chillies and coconut milk.

Follow my first rule of grilling: Cook nothing thicker than your middle finger. The advantage of keeping what you grill on the slender side is not only that it cooks quickly but that the vegetable takes up a marinade more effectively. Vegetables that have been left for a while in a mild spice paste can be particularly delicious cooked over coals, the spices forming a thin and aromatic crust on the surface of the food. Add to that the effect of the smoke and you have a lunch of extraordinary succulence.

Aubergines with coconut and chilli

If you can't get your hands on small "finger" aubergines, use a large one cut into quarters lengthways. Small aubergines are more likely to be bitter, so maybe this is the time you sprinkle them with salt and leave them for half an hour or so before marinating.

• 10 finger aubergines

For the marinade

• 2 sticks lemon grass
• 2 hot red chillies
• 2 cloves garlic
• 100g creamed coconut
• 2 tbs fish sauce
• Zest of a lime, finely grated
• Juice of 2 limes

If the aubergines are thin, slice them in half. If they are thicker, cut them into thick slices. They should be no thicker than a couple of centimetres.

Peel and discard the outer layer of the lemon grass and slice the stalk very finely. Put into the bowl of a food processor with red chillies, garlic and creamed coconut. Blitz briefly and add the fish sauce. Stir in the lime zest and juice.

Lay the aubergines in a shallow dish and spoon the paste over. Roll the aubergines over to coat them. Leave for an hour, or longer, so the flavours can soak in.

Get the grill to the correct temperature. Place the aubergine slices cut side down on to the grill and leave until they have formed a light crust on the underside. Depending on the heat of your grill, this will take about 10-15 minutes but watch them carefully so the underside doesn't burn.

Turn the aubergines over and allow to soften before serving. Each aubergine should be so soft that you can barely pick it off the grill with tongs.

Servings: 4