The
cold always makes us want to eat more spicy food but not always meat. So this
week's recipe was a great discovery. Use as many or as few chillies as you
like. Lynne used three birds eye chillies. If using tinned tomatoes you do not
need to add the passata. But fresh tomatoes are best.
Aubergine
and Chickpea curry
2
Aubergines - sea salt - canola or coconut oil for frying - 1 t mustard seeds -
10 to 12 curry leaves, dried will work if you can't get fresh from Atlas - 2
onions, finely chopped - 2 or 3 dried chillies - 4 t garam masala - 2 t ground
coriander - 2 t turmeric - 400 ml tin of coconut cream - 4 tomatoes finely
chopped or 1 x 400g tin of chopped tomatoes - 300 ml tomato passata - 1 x 400g
tin of chick peas - 30g fresh mange tout peas
Slice
the aubergines in quarters lengthwise, then into 2 cm thick slices. Salt them
and set aside for half an hour so that they weep and get rid of any bitterness.
Rinse and dry them off with a towel.
Heat
the oil in a large casserole and fry the aubergine slices till they are golden brown
and crisp all over. You may need to do this in batches. Set aside. Add another
half a tablespoon of oil to the pan and add the mustard seeds and curry leaves
and stir fry for 30 seconds. Do not have the pan too hot or the mustard seeds
will pop and fly out of the pan. Stir in the onion and continue cooking with a
little salt until they are soft and beginning to brown. Add the chillies and
the other spices with a spoonful of the thick top of the coconut cream and fry
for one minute. Add the remaining coconut cream, the fresh tomatoes and the
passata with one extra can of water. Simmer with the lid off for half an hour
till the sauce is thick and creamy. Stir in the chickpeas and the aubergines
and cook for another 15 to 20 minutes. Taste and adjust the seasoning. It may
need salt. Then add the mange tout and cook for another five minutes. Serve
with steamed rice or Naan bread and scatter over some extra curry leaves just
as you serve. Lovely with a good Chenin Blanc or Sauvignon Blanc
© John & Lynne
Ford, Adamastor & Bacchus 2016
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