Aubergine Chickpea Curry Food

AUBERGINE & CHICKPEA CURRY

Steps:

• Halve the aubergines, then cut each half into wedges. Heat ½ tbsp oil in a large pan, preferably non-stick, and brown half the aubergines for 2-3 mins on each side until golden brown and crisp all over. Scoop onto a plate, repeat with more oil and the remaining aubergines, then set everything aside.
• Add the remaining oil to the pan with the mustard seeds and curry leaves and fry for 30 secs until fragrant. Stir in the onions and continue cooking until they are softened and beginning to brown. Add the dried chillies and spices with a spoonful of the thick coconut milk from the top of the can, then fry for 1 min more. Add the remaining coconut milk, tomatoes and half a can of water. Simmer for 25-30 mins until thick and saucy.
• Stir in the chickpeas and aubergines. Continue simmering for 5 mins or so, until everything is hot and the aubergines are tender. Serve with rice or warm naan bread, scattered with a few extra curry leaves sizzled in a splash of oil, if you like.

MOROCCAN CHICKPEA AND EGGPLANT (AUBERGINE) STEW

Steps:

• Cut off the ends of the eggplant, than chop into ¾" cubes. I salted an eggplant once just for fun, but with fresh eggplant just don't find it necessary!
• Chop the onion roughly.
• Mince the garlic.
• Coat a large deep-sided frypan with olive oil. and heat over a medium heat.
• Add the minced garlic, onion, chili powder, cumin and cinnamon. Stir well to coat evenly. Cook until the onions have softened (approx. 4-5 minutes).
• Add the eggplant, tomatoes and chickpeas, along with the stock. Simmer over medium-low heat, covered, for fifteen-twenty minutes (until the eggplant is tender).
• Uncover and stir. If the stew looks very soupy, let the liquid bubble away for a few more minutes.
• Salt and pepper to taste.
• Serve over rice / pasta / cous cous / even toast would be yummy.
• The qty of spice listed make it moderately hot - good for a taste explosion for someone not used to spices. I normally double them as I like things really spicy!

CURRY WITH AUBERGINE, MUSHROOMS, CHICKPEAS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Dry roast the whole spices (coriander - mustard seeds) on a hot frying pan for a few minutes.
• Let the spices cool off and grind them with a pestle and mortar or in a spice mill.
• Heat the canola oil and fry the chopped onion together with the cinnamon stick until the onion is translucent.
• Add chopped garlic, ginger and bay leaves and fry them for a few minutes.
• Add the ground spices, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed tomatoes, water and salt and bring the sauce to a boil.
• Let the sauce simmer for at least 15 minutes.
• Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and the bay leaves.
• Blend the sauce with an immersion blender.
• Heat the 1 tbsp canola oil in another saucepan and roast the red onion and garlic for a few minutes.
• Add the aubergine and mushrooms and cook them for 5 minutes at medium heat while stiring frequently. The liquid from the mushrooms helps preventing the vegetables from sticking to the saucepan - in this way you can use less oil.
• (If you prefer your aubergines very soft and mushy try slicing the aubergine lengthwise (1 cm slices) and spray/brush the slices with olive oil and give them a sprinkling of ground black pepper. Then bake the aubergine slices in the oven for 20-30 minute at 360 degree F. When the aubergine slices are cold enough to handle cut them into cubes and add them to the curry).
• Add the sauce and let the curry simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas and let the curry simmer for 5 more minutes.
• Add the spinach and bring the curry back to boiling and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Serve the curry on a bed of basmati rice.