Recipe- South Indian Style Brinjal Curry

This Eggplant curry is not for the faint hearted! Eggplant (Brinjal) is roasted rather than fried for a healthier yet equally delicious alternative, then simmered in an intensely spiced Indian curry sauce so it sucks up the flavour and partially collapses to create a big pot of juicy (delicious) mush.

Ingredients

Roasted Eggplant:

2 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola)
700g / 1.2 lb eggplant (aubergine) , 2 medium
1/2 tsp each salt and pepper

Curry:

3 tbsp vegetable oil (or canola)
3/4 tsp black mustard seeds
14 curry leaves, fresh
1 red onion, quartered and thinly sliced
3 tbsp passata or tomato pulp (or canned tomato)
1 tbsp garlic, grated (4 cloves approx)
1 tbsp ginger, grated (1.5cm piece approx)
1 1/4 cups water
3/4 tsp salt
3 tbsp coconut milk or cream, full fat

Curry Spices:

1/4 tsp cardamom powder
1/4 tsp ground clove
1/4 tsp black pepper
1/2 tsp chilli powder or cayenne
4 tsp coriander powder
4 tsp cumin powder

Serving

Basmati rice
Yogurt, highly recommended
Coriander/cilantro leaves, optional
Easy flatbread, optional

Method

Roasted Eggplant:

- Preheat oven to 240°C / 450°F (220°C fan). Line tray with parchment/baking paper.

- Cut eggplant into 2cm / 4/5" slices, then cut into 2cm / 4/5" batons.

- Place in large bowl, toss with oil, salt and pepper.

- Spread on tray, roast 20 minutes. Turn, roast for a further 10 minutes - edges should be caramelised, soft inside, but they're not shrivelled up and dismal. Use per recipe.

Curry:

- Heat oil in a large pot over medium heat. Add mustard seeds, let them sizzle for 15 seconds.

- Add curry leaves, stir, leave to sizzle for 15 seconds - seeds might pop, Indian cooking is very dramatic!

- Add onions, cook 5 minutes until golden brown.

- Add tomato, cook for 1 minute, stirring.

- Add garlic and ginger, cook 2 minutes.

- Add Curry Spices and salt, and cook for another 3 minutes - it will be a thick paste and might stick to the bottom of the pot, don't let it burn (if it starts to, remove from stove and quickly add splash of water to loosen).

- Stir in water, and then add the eggplant.

- Gently stir, partially cover, reduce heat to low and simmer 30 minutes. Stir carefully once or twice (so the eggplants don't break up completely), add more water if it dries out.

- Stir in coconut milk, taste then add more salt if needed.

- Your result should be a very thick, juicy, strongly flavoured curry with eggplant partially intact but half collapsed.

- Serve with basmati rice and a dollop of yogurt and fresh coriander leaves, if you want.