In a wok, pour a splash of oil, and then add in the chopped onion and fry over medium-high heat until soft.
1 onion
Next, add in the garlic and ginger and continue cooking for one minute on medium-high heat.
2 cloves garlic, 1 tablespoon ginger
Pop in spices, and mix well to ensure all of the onion, garlic and ginger is well coated.
1 teaspoon turmeric powder, 4 tablespoon curry powder
Sprinkle in the flour and again, stir well.
2 tablespoon plain flour
Little by little, start adding in the stock, like making a roux, until all of the stock has been poured in and there are no lumps.
500 ml vegetable stock
Pour in all of the coconut milk. Bring up to a simmer, add in the sugar and soy sauce (or tamari). Simmer for 5 minutes, until it has thickened up. Take the sauce off the heat and then set aside.
2.5 teaspoon soy sauce, 1 teaspoon brown sugar, 200 ml coconut milk
In a separate bowl, mix the plain flour with the water until smooth. It should create a thick and gloopy mixture that has a smooth consistency. Place the panko breadcrumbs into a separate bowl. And then get a plate ready to place the vegetables on once they have been dunked.
1 cup plain flour, 300 ml water
Dredge each piece of aubergine and sweet potato into the flour mix, then into the panko breadcrumbs. Set aside onto the plate. Work fast so the mix doesn’t fall off the vegetables. As the flour mix is quite thick, it shouldn’t fall off the vegetables but it’s still worth trying to go quick if you can.
350 g sweet potato, 150 g panko breadcrumbs, 500 g aubergine
Heat up a frying pan with a 0.5cm layer of oil in the bottom (around 250ml). Use a single piece of panko to check if the oil is hot enough, once it is bubbling away in the pan, the oil is hot enough.
250 ml oil
Fry each piece of sweet potato and aubergine on each side for around 1-2 minutes, until golden. As each piece of vegetable is done, place onto a plate that has been lined with kitchen paper, so the excess oil drips off.
Make sure the sauce is hot, it may need reheating on the stove top for a few minutes. Then sieve it to remove the garlic, ginger and onion (optionally) and serve with short grain white rice, salad, pink pickled onions and cabbage.