Smokey Aubergine & Tomato Curry

Serves 4 

Ingredients 

• 2 medium sized aubergines 

• ½ cup plus 2 tablespoons rice bran oil  

• 1 tablespoon black mustard seeds 

• 1 teaspoon fenugreek seeds 

• 1 onion, sliced into crescents  

• 1 fresh large green chili, such as poblano or jalapeno, seeds and pith removed, thinly sliced 

• 6 large tomatoes, chopped (optional, remove the skins first, see recipe notes) 

• ½ teaspoon ground cumin 

• 1 teaspoon smoked paprika 

• 1 teaspoon ground coriander 

• ½ teaspoon garam masala 

• 1 teaspoon salt 

• 1 large tablespoon black honey 

• Fresh coriander to top 

Method  

1. Slice the aubergines into thirds widthwise, then sit each piece cut side down and cut into wedges – you should get about eight wedges from each third of aubergine. 

2. Heat the ½ cup oil in a large frying pan and fry the aubergine pieces until golden brown all over. You may need to do this in a couple of batches. As the aubergine wedges cook, remove them from the oil and drain on paper towels. 

3. Heat the extra 2 tablespoons of oil in a heavy based saucepan along with the mustard and fenugreek seeds, onion crescents and green chili. Season with a good pinch of salt and cook until the onions just begin to colour and the seeds begin to pop, about 5-6 minutes. Make sure you don’t burn the seeds, the salt will help with this, as will stirring the mixture as it cooks. 

4. Add the chopped tomatoes, ground cumin, smoked paprika, garam masala, and salt. Cook for a further 8 to 10 minutes until the tomatoes are cooked through and the sauce has thickened.  

5. Add the eggplant and carefully stir through to reheat it. Remove from the heat and stir in the black honey. 

6. Serve with jasmine rice and poppadom's. 

Recipe notes

• If using fresh tomatoes, it is worth removing the skins before dicing them. This is not imperative, but it means your curry sauce will be smoother. Boil enough water in a pot to cover the tomatoes. Scour the skins on the top and bottom of each tomato with a knife and plunge them into the boiling water for a minute. Remove the tomatoes with a slotted spoon and place them into a colander to drain. When cool enough to handle, peel the skins off the tomatoes and chop them up.