Aubergine Curry
For a rich meal that is vegan and gluten-free, I make my Aubergine curry. The roasted eggplant, creamy chickpeas, and tomato gravy come together in one pot, infused with selected spices to create an amazing curry flavor.
Servings: 6 servings
Calories: 192kcal
Ingredients
- ¼ cup olive oil
- 2 large aubergine diced into bite sized pieces
- 1 onion diced
- 3 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 tsp minced ginger
- 1 tbsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp ground turmeric
- ½ tsp cayenne pepper
- 28 oz canned diced tomatoes
- ½ cup vegetable stock
- 4 oz cooked chickpeas
- 1 tsp garam masala
- 2 tsp salt
- fresh coriander (cilantro) for garnish
Instructions
- Heat 3 tbsp oil in a large pan and lightly cook the aubergine until golden on all sides. Do not overcrowd the pan, you may need to cook the aubergine in batches.
- In the same pan heat the remaining oil and sauté the onion until translucent.
- Add the ginger, cumin, coriander, turmeric and cayenne pepper. Continue to sauté for 2-3 minutes.
- Add in the diced tomatoes, vegetable stock and chickpeas. Bring to a boil, reduce heat, cover and cook for 20 minutes, stirring at regular intervals.
- Remove the lid and stir through the cooked aubergine, garam masala and salt.
- Cook, uncovered, for a further 20 minutes. If the sauce is becoming too thick add a little water.
- Adjust seasoning to suit your taste.
- Top with chopped coriander and serve with steamed rice.
Notes
- My #1 Secret Tip for this aubergine curry recipe is to never crowd the pot when sauteing the aubergine. I learned early on that sauteing pieces of eggplant that are too close together traps steam. Aubergines are naturally high in moisture, and cooking them in a crowded pot turns them soft and pale instead of golden and caramelized.
- Any eggplant works: This recipe does not rely on a specific variety. I have made it with baby eggplant and Japanese eggplant, and as long as the cooking method remains the same, the curry will be delicious.
- Leave the skin on: The majority of nutrients come from the skin of the eggplant, so I make sure to leave it on.
- Degorge aubergines: If I have time, I degorge my diced eggplant by sprinkling it with salt and placing it in a colander over a bowl for 30 minutes. This draws out excess moisture and bitterness. I rinse and pat the cubes dry before frying.
- Mash chickpeas for extra creaminess: To thicken up the consistency, I use a potato masher or an immersion blender and mash some of the chickpeas, or blend 1/4 of the mixture and stir to combine.
Nutrition
Calories: 192kcal | Carbohydrates: 23g | Protein: 5g | Fat: 10g | Saturated Fat: 2g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 1g | Monounsaturated Fat: 7g | Sodium: 1050mg | Potassium: 726mg | Fiber: 8g | Sugar: 10g