This week, the first week of my month-long vegetarian trial, I braved dangerous territory and went to my favourite Indian restaurant. I always get tandoori chicken, which let's be honest there is no meat-free alternative for. I didn't think my veggie ways would last the evening, but last they did, thanks to the humble lovliness of the aubergine (egg plant for you yanks).
Die hard carnivores can argue that meat is best until the soon-to-be slaughtered cows come home, but I really would be as happy to eat an aubergine curry as a meat one. When braising in the sauce, it soaks up flavour like a sponge whilst retaining its delicious al dente bite. If you can find them, the baby ones cut into quarters are brilliant, but big chunks of the regular ones are also yummy.
This curry uses both the onion curry gravy, and the curry paste I told you about a short while ago, so it does involve some advance curry sessions, but once you have your bases prepped and stocked in the fridge and freezer, it takes hardly any time to throw together, and because you put all that effort in weeks before, you'll have a dish as good as any take-away. If you have not made the curry gravy, you can still make a yummy curry by substituting the gravy with two cans of chopped tomatoes.
Ingredients (serves 4)
1 large aubergine, diced into bitesize chunks
1 onion, sliced
1 handful of mushrooms, sliced
4 tablespoons of curry paste
1 portion of curry gravy
1 handful of fresh corriander, finely chopped
1 teaspoon of olive oil
1 red chilli, finely sliced
2 cloves of garlic, crushed
1 teaspoon of cumin seeds
Directions
Heat oil in a wok, and fry the onion, chilli, cumin and garlic for 5mins. Add the aubergine and mushrooms and fry gently for a further 10mins.
Add the curry paste and stir to coat vegetables. Fry for 2mins.
Pour over the curry gravy, and simmer for 20mins stirring occasionally.
Stir in fresh corriander, cook for a further few mins.
Serve ladled over freshly cooked pilau rice.