eggplant and chickpea curry

This curry dish uses curry paste made from scratch. The paste can be made fresh and cooked straightaway, but I like to make a large jar of it and keep it in the fridge with a layer of vegetable oil on top to keep it fresh. You can usually store it in the fridge for a couple of weeks, but any longer than that you should freeze it (but don’t thaw and then re-freeze). I just use chickpeas from the can, but if you do so it is best to soak them in cold water for at least 30 minutes prior to cooking to break down the hardness. The soft eggplant textures makes a nice contrast to the chickpeas when mixed together.

INGREDIENTS (curry paste for single serve)
•2 tbs vegetable oil
•4 tbs milk (or evaporated milk for more taste but more fat!)
•1 large (or 2 small) onion (finely chopped)
•4 cloves garlic (finely chopped)
•2 tsp grated ginger
•1 tbs ground turmeric
•1 tbs garam masala
•1 tbs cumin
•1 tsp coriander seed
•1 stick cinnamon (optional)

PREPARATION
Time: 5 minutes to prepare, 20 minutes in the wok
1. Add ingredients to a blender (unless onion and garlic is very finely chopped) and mix well, adding a splash of water if the mixture becomes too thick.
2. Fry in a wok for 20 minutes until fragrant.

INGREDIENTS (curry)
•2 large tomato (diced)
•1 medium onion (sliced)
•2 cups cauliflower florets (I usually just buy frozen cauli as it’s fresher – make sure to thaw prior to cooking)
•1 medium eggplant (cut into 3cm cubes)
•1 400g can chickpeas (rinsed, drained and soaked for 30 minutes)
•Garnish: coriander leaves, dry chilli flakes, sliced cucumber


PREPARATION
Time: 10 minutes to prepare, 50 minutes in a deep pot
1. Fry curry paste (if not fresh) in pot for 5 minutes with a splash of vegetable oil.
2. Add onions and fry until brown, then add tomatoes and chickpeas and cook for 5-10 minutes until tomatoes are soft.
3. Add 2 cups of low-fat milk (or evaporated condensed milk) and 1 cup cold water. Bring to the boil whilst continuously stirring.
4. Turn down to medium-heat after boiling and add eggplant and cauliflower. Cook for a further 10 minutes with lid on.
5. Remove lid, turn down to low-heat and stir occasionally for another 20 minutes or until chickpeas are soft and cooked through.
6. Garnish with coriander leaves, chilli flakes, sliced cucumber and serve with rice. Serves 3-4.