Aubergine, Chickpea and Coconut Curry
This lusciously creamy curry is always a crowd pleaser. You can swap different green veg’ in and out of the recipe according to the season.
Perfect with flatbread or rice ( we added a pinch of saffron and a crushed cardamom pod to the Basmati as it cooked and topped with roasted cashews)
Ingredients
- 2 medium aubergines diced into 3 cm squares
- 4 tbsp coconut oil or other vegetable oil
- 1 large onion diced
- 5 cm piece ginger finely chopped
- 2 cloves garlic crushed
- 1 – 2 chilli peppers your shout, seeds removed, finely chopped
- 1/2 -1 tsp salt
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 x 400 g can chickpeas drained
- 3 tbsp tomato purée
- 1 x 400 g can coconut milk
- 1 heaped tsp garam masala
- 300 g spinach or chard, kale, spring greens – any tough stalks removed, leaves roughly chopped
- Small bunch fresh coriander roughly chopped
- 1 lime cut into 4 segments.
Instructions
- Pre-heat the oven to 200ºc.
- Put the aubergine dice onto a large baking tray and sprinkle over two tablespoons of the vegetable oil. Roast in the oven for about 20 minutes until soft and beginning to colour.
- Meanwhile heat the remaining oil in a large pan and begin by frying your onion over a medium heat until translucent. Next, throw in the ginger, garlic and chilli, stirring until you are hit by a wall of fragrance. Add your spices and cook for a minute or two, taking care not to burn them.
- Tip in the chickpeas and stir them in the spicy oils before adding the tomato purée and your cooked aubergine, followed by the can of coconut milk. Simmer for about 10 minutes for the flavours to marry.
- At this point the curry can be set aside if you are wanting to prepare ahead – it even improves with a bit of resting time.
- Just before eating reheat the curry, adding the garam masala and your greens, stirring gently so that nothing catches on the bottom. Once the greens have wilted, check the seasoning .
- Serve with freshly chopped coriander and a squeeze of lime.