Amazing Aubergine Curry For A Zinger Of A Curry Night!
- Updated on Sep 08, 2022
We are partial to a curry (just a smidge), around these parts and if you are of the same mind, boy do I have an amazing and delicious aubergine curry for you, or what?!
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But first, riddle me this: what is the aubergine? Is it a vegetable? Is it a fruit? A berry???? And why does it have so many different names? Aubergine hither, eggplant thither – like, make your mind up, right?!
What a load of palaver over one weird-looking veg, eh?
Like ‘em or loathe ‘em, aubergines are actually quite nutritious.
They’re full of fiber, B1 and B6 vitamins, antioxidants, and various minerals including copper, manganese, and potassium.
But first things first, can you put aubergine/eggplant in a curry?
Yes, you can – and we aren’t saying so just cos we LOVE our curries!
In Thai, Middle Eastern, and Indian cuisines, for example, eggplants are quite common – sumptuous curries are made using the baby eggplant variety.
Aubergines go incredibly well with the usual curry components. Coconut milk, for example, pairs so well to make a creamy aubergine curry; protein-packed lentils or chickpeas and curry powder make a delicious aubergine and chickpea (or lentil) curry.
If you have never cooked with aubergines before, get your frying pan out and try out our vegan aubergine curry recipe for dinner tonight (it’s one of our favorite one pot vegetarian meals).
It is one of our most popular curries, and pairs wonderfully with brown rice and/or naan, and some cooling raita.
Once you have opened that door, take a peek at our 40 delightful vegetarian eggplant recipes collection. We have a collection featuring mouthwatering vegan aubergine curries too!
Welcome to Team Aubergine!
Ingredients
Aubergines / eggplants
For an unctuous curry, tender aubergine is a must. If the veg is too mature, or too seedy, then the flesh would be too tough and unpleasant to eat.
Tender aubergines are like little sponges, soaking up all the yumminess from the gravy and the spices, making them perfect vehicles for flavor.
Texture-wise too, they are chewy and almost ‘meaty’ – which is why they are ideal for those new to the vegetarian/vegan way of eating.
Further down in this article, we talk about how to select the best veg, so use that as a guide in your future veggie selection.
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Basmati rice
Curries need a carby vehicle to help carry them – rice or rotis. And basmati rice is the Ferrari of the carby vehicles, with its unique scent, nutty taste, and delicate texture.
When the steam gently rises off freshly cooked basmati, you are transported to a higher plane of existence. Spoon the curry gently over your rice and get the party started in your mouth.
Tomato-onion-garlic
When it comes to a good curry, the triumvirate of tomatoes, onions, and garlic is super important. Red onion, more than white onion, with its full-bodied flavor, is a must-have for any good curry, and our aubergine curry is no different.
Diced onions, chopped tomatoes, and minced garlic in a little oil meld beautifully to provide any curry with a beautiful gravy base.
Coconut milk
Coconut milk is a top-level ingredient that elevates any dish from a regular one to “OMG what is this ambrosia I am having?!” But it is best to go with low-fat coconut milk as the full-fat version can sometimes overpower a dish and dull the taste of the vegetables and the spices.
One note of caution: coconut milk can split very easily, so once added cook the curry on low heat or a gentle simmer.
Spices
The spices you add to a curry are total game-changers. The curry powder / garam masala spice blend adds a punch to the curry and some heat, adding a layer of flavor.
Another flavor duo is ground cumin and coriander powders. These join hands with the regular garam masala and add some oomph to it.
All these spices/masalas you add to a curry, the aubergines would just slurp them right in, infusing them with gorgeous flavor and their own brand of umami-ness.
Oil
Olive oil pairs really well with aubergines, though curries, in general, are made with vegetable oil, sunflower oil, or coconut oil.
Whichever oil you go with, make sure it is a neutral oil and cook on low to medium heat. That’s the way for maximum flavors.
Garnish
If you are making an Indian eggplant curry, then fresh curry leaves are a must. Tossing in a handful in hot oil along with mustard seeds and cumin seeds, and garnishing the curry with that is the best way to finish it off. Freshly chopped coriander over a curry adds a beautiful touch too.
For Thai curries, fresh torn Thai basil leaves add a nice punch of flavor to the curry.
How to make the best aubergine curry?
Time needed: 35 minutes.
- Prep
First, the prep – dice the onions, deseed and chop the tomatoes, mince the garlic, and cut the aubergine into small cubes, evenly sized.
- Fry
Fry the aubergine in olive oil on high heat, stirring constantly so it doesn’t burn.
- Cook
Next, wash and soak the basmati rice. Then cook it as per the instructions on the packet.
- Make
Now, the fun bit – making the curry. Start adding the aromats to the aubergine – add the diced onion and saute. Cook over slow, medium heat. Next, drop in the minced garlic. Stir frequently.
- Add
Add the garam masala, turmeric, ground cumin, and coriander, and fry till the aroma develops. Add the chopped tomatoes. Simmer. Add the coconut milk.
- Finish
Salt the curry to taste, cover and simmer till you are happy with the consistency of the curry. Remember it will thicken as it cools, so stop ahead. Garnish with freshly chopped coriander if you have any.
Aubergine FAQ
Roasting aubergines directly over a fire, in my opinion, is the most perfect way to eat one. The smoke gets right into the veg and adds an amazing depth of flavor.
The roasted veg (it would be incredibly silly to term it the ‘roasted berry’!) can then be mashed and made into a dip (baba ghanoush) or made into a curry (baingan bharta, the Indian brinjal curry).
If you don’t have much time to faff in the kitchen, here’s a quick recipe for you: simply cut the veg into chunks and stir fry (talking of stir fry, check these out!) the aubergine pieces in a tbsp of oil.
Salt, dried red chilies, your favorite spice blend/ garam masala mix, some fresh coriander on top, bingo bango, job done!
One, aubergines can be a bit bitter, and soaking them in water for a bit with some salt helps leach the bitter taste from the flesh of the vegetable.
Two, once cut and exposed to the air, the flesh turns dark very quickly. Soaking prevents this from happening, keeping the veg looking nice and fresh!
Aubergines can go off pretty quickly and they’re also quite sensitive to bruising and improper storage. It’s best to keep them somewhere dark and cool (like the fridge or chilled storage room) and away from the damp. Try not to nick or cut them.
When buying, find one that is deep in color and feels ‘heavy’ for its size. When the skin is pressed it should spring right back. If it stays indented, looks blemished or wrinkled then its best days are probably behind. Pick another!
The tender ones generally do not have many seeds in them. But even if they do, they tend to be small and are totally edible, not to worry. Just give it a quick wash, slice the stem off, and a little from the bottom and you’re good to go. No peeling or de-seeding is necessary.
Now that you have been inducted into our Aubergine Fanclub, let’s check out our delicious curry recipe in full, shall we?
We guarantee it is a keeper, one for the whole family to enjoy!
Ingredients
Rice and Tofu
- ½ cup basmati rice
- 9 oz tofu
- 1 tsp olive oil
Aubergine Curry
- 1 tsp olive oil
- 15 oz aubergine (medium)
- 1 red onion
- 2 clove garlic
- 1 tsp curry powder (eg. garam masala)
- 1 tsp turmeric
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 cup crushed tomatoes
- 1 cup low fat coconut milk
- Salt and pepper to taste
Optional:
- 1 tsp sugar (or 1-2 tbsp mango chutney)
Instructions
Prep Rice and Tofu
- Cook rice according to packet instructions.½ cup basmati rice
- Dice the tofu into small pieces. Heat up the olive oil to medium heat in a frying pan and add the tofu. Add some salt and let it fry for 15 min or until it’s crunchy. Make sure to stir occasionally, have patience and taste test!9 oz tofu, 1 tsp olive oil
Prep Aubergine Curry
- Cut the aubergine into small cubes. Fry in a large pan with olive oil on medium heat for 3-4 minutes. Add a good dash of water, so it doesn’t burn.15 oz aubergine, 1 tsp olive oil
- In the meantime dice the onion and throw it in too. Put it back to a medium heat and cook for 5-6 minutes.1 red onion
- Crush or dice the garlic.2 clove garlic
- Stir in the garlic, curry powder, turmeric and ground coriander. Cook for another 3-4 minutes, stirring well.1 tsp curry powder, 1 tsp turmeric, 1 tsp ground coriander
- Pour in the chopped tomatoes and coconut milk. Add a good dash of salt. Taste test! See if you like to add more salt and/or spices.1 cup crushed tomatoes, 1 cup low fat coconut milk, Salt and pepper to taste
- Simmer for about 15 minutes. The coconut milk thickens so stop cooking when it is at the right consistency for you. Stir in the sugar or mango chutney if you like it a little sweeter.1 tsp sugar
- Serve with salt and pepper to taste.
NOTES
Nutrition
So, tell us. Did you give our aubergine curry recipe a go? How did it turn out? What suggestions do you have for us? Talk to us 🙂
Dave Bell
I’m not a foodie, although I do love eating. I believe food should serve us and our goals, not hinder. Taking control and responsibility for what I eat is important to me. Lots of veggie protein is my way forward.
Comments
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138 comments
Just made this dish plus the vegan chickpea curry, sharing a tin of cocnut milk between them, as I only had one tin, and topped it up with ordinary milk. I learned to cook curries whilst living in England years ago, and it is my absolute favourite food. I totally loved these two recipes!! Can’t wait to try some more!!., THANK YOU!!
Wow this seems to be really tasty vegan stuff. I think I’ll try this after my current Vienna trip. Thank you guys!
It certainly is! Tasty and vegan :). Thanks Christian, have a great trip!
This is not a mediterranean dish. It is Indian. Please rectify in your tags
You’re absolutely right Deepak, not sure how that got in there! Thanks for pointing it out!
We’ve been veggie for 9 months, are in our mid-50s and are loving the variety of foods; touch wood, really no struggle so far! We took a gamble with this recipe and made it for the first time for our long-term veggie relatives. They loved it and wanted the recipe, then my husband took the leftovers to work and wowed the staffroom with the gorgeous aroma. Thank you…great to see so many more tempting ideas on your site. 🙂
Woo! That’s the perfect story. Glad we were able to help, Sue! It sounds like the curry is earning its ‘amazing’ tag 😀
This was delicious! I was skeptical even as I was making it because it seemed so simple and fast, but it was very flavorful. I used full fat coconut milk and added 2 T Major Grey chutney at the end to round it out. I’m not sure how much the eggplant weighed but it was pretty big, and I used a 14.5 oz. can of tomatoes and a 13.5 oz. can of coconut milk.
Yes, I know exactly what you mean! I had the same when I tried out the curry for the first time. What I liked most about the dish: how the aubergine soaks up the sauce, yuuummm 😀
Can I freeze this curry?
I’d think it would be fine! I haven’t tried it yet as there’s normally none left after we cook it :D.
First time I’ve made a curry sooo good I’m trying the colyflower curry today. I’m not vegetarian but who needs meat when this tastes so good. Cheers guy’s. Gary
Ahh, thanks Gary! We’re with you on that one! Awesome stuff – enjoy the next curry too . Thanks for writing!
Tins and cans come in different sizes. What size tin of tomatoes and what size can of coconut milk, what size of eggplant. It looks great but sizes are needed.
Good points, Kathy! We’ll get that updated 🙂
Soooo good! Thank you for this recipe!
You’re very welcome, Claire!
Looks delicious! Should I use full-fat coconut milk?
That’s a good question, Erica! It really depends on the individual. In terms of pure taste then full fat coconut milk is generally superior, though it can be a little calorie dense! If you’re watching calories for any reason then a skimmed version might be the best bet 🙂
There seems to be a lot of sauce. Tastes really nice tho
Yes, we’re pretty saucy with our recipes! Did you mix a staple like rice with it?
Simply delicious. I had some homemade mango chutney that I used and it definitely added to the flavour. I used full fat coconut milk. This was very quick and easy to make and has given me about 4 servings. (My neighbour got to have some). Even better on day 2! Will go into my quick and easy recipe file. (Actually, its already stored in my brain)
This looks like an Indian traditional recipe and It looks delicious. I have never seen like this before rice with this recipe.