Name: Aubergine Mushroom, Spinach and Chickpea Curry
Prep time: 20 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 1 h
Yield: 2
Ingredients: 1 tbsp cooking olive oil; 1 onion; 2 cloves garlic; 1 thumb sized piece of ginger; 2 green birds eye chilli; 2 tsp ground cumin seeds; 2 tsp ground coriander seeds; 1 tsp turmeric powder; 2 cardamon pods - lightly squashed; ½ cinnamon stick; 3 curry leaves; ½ cup dried chickpeas - soaked in water overnight; 1 big aubergine - cut into cubes; 1 tsp salt; 250 g button mushrooms - wiped clean; 4 big tomatoes - cut into quarters; 400 ml vegetable stock; salt/pepper to taste; 250 g spinach leaves; ½ tsp garam masala; 1 handful fresh coriander; ½ cup white/brown basmati rice; 2 poppadoms (optional)

AuthorRejane GwynneCategoryDinner, Indian, VegetarianDifficultyIntermediate

80/20 friendly

Yields2 Servings

Prep Time20 minsCook Time40 minsTotal Time1 hr

1 tbsp cooking olive oil

1 onion

2 cloves garlic

1 thumb sized piece of ginger

2 green birds eye chilli

2 tsp ground cumin seeds

2 tsp ground coriander seeds

1 tsp turmeric powder

2 cardamon pods - lightly squashed

½ cinnamon stick

3 curry leaves

½ cup dried chickpeas - soaked in water overnight

1 big aubergine - cut into cubes

1 tsp salt

250 g button mushrooms - wiped clean

4 big tomatoes - cut into quarters

400 ml vegetable stock

salt/pepper to taste

250 g spinach leaves

½ tsp garam masala

1 handful fresh coriander

½ cup white/brown basmati rice

2 poppadoms (optional)

Wash the aubergine and cut it into cubes. Place it in a colander with a teaspoon of salt and leave for 20 minutes while the moisture draws out. After 20 minutes, pat the aubergine dry with a cloth.

Cut the onion, chilli, ginger and garlic finely or add to a food processor.

For the ground cumin and coriander, you can either use powdered spices or you can toast the seeds in a dry frying pan for a few minutes until it becomes fragrant and then pound them to a rough powder with a pestle and mortar.

Heat the oil in a pan and fry all the curry spices together (apart from the garam masala, cinnamon stick and curry leaves) for a minute on a medium heat so it releases its flavour.

Add the onion, ginger, garlic and chilli paste and continue to stir.

Now add the aubergine, mushrooms, chickpeas and tomatoes along with the vegetable stock, salt/pepper, curry leaves, cardamon pods and cinnamon and simmer for 30 - 40 minutes until the chickpeas are cooked.

During the last 10 minutes of the cooking process add the garam masala and spinach and stir through.

Serve the curry with white basmati rice, fresh coriander, mango chutney, atchar and a poppadom.

Ingredients