BISH BASH BOSH!: Amazing flavours. Any meal. All Plants. The brand-new plant-based cookbook from the bestselling #1 vegan authors. Henry Firth

       AUBERGINE KATSU

      We’ve been refining this dish for some time now to achieve the perfect balance of a beautifully light but comfortingly warm katsu sauce. Katsu is amazing with the mighty aubergine. You can also make double the sauce and freeze half, it will keep for a month (defrost it overnight in the fridge before reheating).

       SERVES 4

      175g plain flour

      ½ tbsp salt

      250ml unsweetened plant-based milk

      150g panko breadcrumbs

      2 aubergines (about 300g each)

      4 spring onions

      white sesame seeds, for sprinkling

      500g cooked basmati rice, or use 2 x 250g bags microwavable basmati rice, to serve

      vegetable oil, for frying

       FOR THE KATSU SAUCE

      1 large onion

      1 small carrot

      5cm piece fresh ginger

      2 garlic cloves

      2 tbsp sesame oil

      1 tbsp olive oil

      1½ tsp soy sauce

      1 tbsp curry powder

      350ml vegetable stock

      1 lemon

      2 tsp garam masala

      1 tsp sugar

      1 tbsp cornflour

      2 tbsp water

       Fine grater or Microplane | 2 large frying pans | Liquidiser | Whisk | Line a large plate with kitchen paper

      First make the sauce | Peel and dice the onion | Peel and grate the carrot | Peel the ginger by scraping off the skin with a spoon, then finely grate | Peel and grate the garlic

      Put one frying pan over a medium heat and warm the sesame oil | Add the onion and fry for 3–4 minutes, stirring | Add the carrot and olive oil and stir for 5–6 minutes | Add the garlic and ginger and stir for 2 minutes | Add the soy sauce and curry powder and stir for 2 minutes, then transfer to the liquidiser along with the vegetable stock | Blend | Pour back into the pan and return to a medium heat

      Cut the lemon in half and squeeze the juice of half into the same pan, catching any pips with your other hand | Sprinkle over the garam masala and sugar and stir | Reduce the heat to low | Taste and add more salt and lemon if required | Put the cornflour and water into a small dish and mix together with a fork | Pour into the pan and stir to thicken

      Now make the batter | Put the flour, salt and milk into a mixing bowl and whisk to a smooth batter | Tip the breadcrumbs into a separate bowl

      Trim the aubergines and cut into 1cm-thick slices | Tip them into the batter and toss to coat | Pick out one slice and roll it around in the breadcrumbs, covering it completely | Repeat to coat all the slices

      Fry the aubergine | Pour the vegetable oil into the second pan until it’s 2cm deep | Put the pan over a medium heat and heat until a wooden spoon dipped into the oil starts to bubble around the edges | Carefully add the aubergine slices and fry in batches for 3–4 minutes on each side, until crispy and deep golden | Transfer to the kitchen paper for a minute to soak up any excess oil

      Meanwhile, heat the rice, if necessary, or cook following the instructions on the packet, then divide among plates | Arrange the crispy aubergine on top and drizzle over the katsu sauce | Thinly slice the spring onions and sprinkle them over with the sesame seeds before serving