Description
A flavorful West Indian spiced aubergine curry featuring a blend of cumin, coriander, and turmeric, simmered in a tangy tomato base with green chilli, ginger, and sugar. This hearty vegetarian curry is pan-fried and then slow-cooked until tender, served with rice, natural yogurt, roti, and lime wedges for a vibrant and comforting meal.
Ingredients
Scale
Spices
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 1 tsp salt
Main Ingredients
- 1 large aubergine
- 2 tbsp tomato purée
- ½ green chilli, finely chopped
- 1cm piece ginger, peeled and finely chopped
- 2 tsp caster sugar
- ½–1 tbsp rapeseed oil
- 150ml water plus up to 100ml extra if needed
Garnish and Serving
- 3 spring onions, chopped
- ½ bunch coriander, shredded
- Cooked rice, natural yogurt, roti, and lime wedges, to serve
Instructions
- Prepare Spice Mix and Aubergine: Mix the ground cumin, coriander, turmeric, and salt together in a bowl. Slice the aubergine into 1cm thick rounds and score both sides with a sharp knife. Rub each aubergine round thoroughly with the spice mixture until they are well coated.
- Make Tomato Liquid: In the empty spice bowl, combine 150ml water, tomato purée, finely chopped green chilli, chopped ginger, and caster sugar. Set this mixture aside to blend flavors.
- Fry Aubergine: Heat rapeseed oil in a large non-stick frying pan over medium heat. Arrange aubergine rounds overlapping if necessary and fry for about 5 minutes on each side until golden brown.
- Simmer Curry: Add the prepared tomato and spice liquid to the pan with the aubergine. Bring to a simmer, then cover the pan and cook for 15-20 minutes, turning the aubergine occasionally. Add up to 100ml more water if the curry appears too dry, aiming for a saucier consistency. Adjust seasoning to taste.
- Finish and Serve: Sprinkle chopped spring onions and shredded coriander over the curry just before serving. Serve hot with cooked rice, natural yogurt, roti, and lime wedges for squeezing over to enhance the flavors.
Notes
- To extend the curry and add protein, stir in a drained 400g can of chickpeas and heat through before serving.
- Scoring the aubergine helps the spices penetrate and speeds cooking.
- Adjust the green chilli amount to control the curry’s heat level.
- If you prefer a richer curry, you can add a splash of coconut milk near the end of cooking.
- This curry pairs wonderfully with plain basmati rice and fresh, soft roti.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Category: Main Course
- Method: Frying
- Cuisine: West Indian
Keywords: aubergine curry, West Indian curry, vegetarian curry, spiced aubergine, easy curry recipe, tomato curry, healthy vegetarian dinner
