Thai Curried Squid, "Plamuk Patpet"

This dish is supposed to be hot (ie spicy), and derives it's "signature" from the combinations of the relatively bland squid, the egg-plants, and the hot curry flavorings. Note that the cooking time will vary, and you should not cook the egglpant longer than necesary (they should still be firm and have a slight resistance to the bite).

Ingredients

1 cup squid, bodies only, cleaned, and cut into bite sized pieces
2 tablespoons garlic, thinly sliced
2 tablespoons red curry paste
2 tablespoons fish sauce
2 tablespoons eggplant, diced
1 tablespoon light soy sauce
1 tablespoon Thai chile peppers, thinly sliced
6-8 kaffir lime leaves, shredded
Fresh Thai basil leaves to garnish

Method

Briefly sautee the garlic in a little hot oil in a wok until it starts to turn golden brown, then add the curry paste and stir fry until aromatic. Reduce the heat to medium low, and add the squid, mixing and stirring briefly. Add the remaining ingredients (except the basil), and stir briskly until the squid is just cooked through (it cooks quickly--do not overcook or it will get rubbery). Transfer to a serving plate, garnish and serve with steamed rice.