Nigel Slater's Recipes for Eggplant Lentils and Sloe Gin Figs

You need a few minutes without any distractions to fry a batch of fresh curry leaves. You close the kitchen door, pour a thin film of oil into a wide, shallow pan and place it over a moderate flame. Strip them from their coarse stems, then rain the tiny emerald green leaves into the hot oil and back off as they crackle and pop, then gradually subside. (A lid will help here, but remove it once they stop sputtering.) Shake the pan, watching carefully, until each leaf is translucent and slightly crispy. Lift them with a slotted spoon onto a piece of paper towel.

You'll end up with a pile of crackling, twisting dark green leaves and a kitchen full of fragrance hot and smoky. (I suggested you close the door.) The window between perfection and burnt leaves is a heartbeat away, so don't take your eyes off the pan for a second. If you burn them - as I have done more than once - you will spend days getting rid of the smell.

I use curry leaves with side dishes of lentils (I like them in a yellow turmeric dal) and scatter over a carrot or cucumber raita. Their presence is rarely crucial in a dish, but their flavor is a delicious addition. I should add that the dried version is no better than any other dried herb.

I made an eggplant and lentil dish this week which lasted a few days, something we served ladled, steamed, in deep bowls, then came back for a few seconds. And since figs are still cheap and plentiful, I slipped a dish of them in the oven for later, soaked in a little sugar and a dash of sloe gin.

Lentils with aubergines and leaves of curry

Deep, earthy flavors here. The dish is good to eat the day it is made, but even better when given some time in the fridge overnight. Reheat it gently, over low heat, stirring regularly. (You may need a little more broth just to soften the texture.) Steamed rice, perhaps with a little grated zest filled in, would be a great idea. A hot, fragrant dinner that won't break the bank. Serves 6

150g lentils, small and 4 brown shallots, large2 tbsp peanut oil, plus a little more for the ginger 50g fresh red chillies 2 medium ground cumin 1 tsp ground coriander 1½ tsp black mustard seeds 2 tsp turmeric 2 tsp tomatoes 350g tomato paste 1 tbsp curry leaves 20 garam masala 1 tablespoon broth or water 1 liter eggplant 2 a little medium olive oil

Rinse the lentils in a colander and set aside. Peel and finely chop the shallots. Heat the oil in a large saucepan, then add the shallots. Cook until tender and pale golden in color - a matter of 7 to 10 minutes. Peel and grate the ginger and finely chop the chiles, removing the seeds if desired. Add the ginger and chili peppers to the shallots and continue cooking, then stir in the cumin, coriander, mustard seeds and turmeric.

Roughly chop the tomatoes and stir in with onions, followed by tomato purée. Continue cooking for 5 minutes, then add the lentils, half the curry leaves and the garam masala. Pour in vegetable broth or water. Add salt and simmer the sauce for 25 minutes, stirring regularly.

Cut the aubergines in half then into 1 cm thick slices and brown them in a little olive oil, just enough to moisten them. Heat a grill pan (or a grill above the oven), cook the eggplant slices for about 7-8 minutes on each side, then, as each piece softens and browns slightly, add them to the lentils. Continue cooking until the lentils are tender and the eggplant is soft and silky, which should take about 20 minutes.

Fry the curry leaves set aside until crisp in a tablespoon or two of peanut oil in a shallow pan, then scatter and serve.

Figs with sloe gin