This aubergine curry has tamarind as one of the ingredients. It adds a sweet and sour taste and is complimented by the tomatoes used. I have used whole tamarind in my recipe, but tamarind paste is available. If you use that, you will need 15mls.
Head straight on to the Recipe For ♥ Aubergine Curry ♥
What’s in a name?
No matter whether you call this purple globe aubergine, eggplant, brinjal or melanzane, it is so versatile. And to be fair, it really is a fruit that has spongy flesh. By true definition eggplants are a berry, and form part of the nightshade family. Aubergines must be cooked, and it is important to keep in mind that they will soak up oil, and flavour. Once cut, you need to use the eggplant as soon as possible, to avoid the flesh turning brown. Because of this, my favourite way to cook brinjals is to roast them whole over an open flame. The seeds contained within the flesh can taste bitter, and salting before cooking is one method of drawing out this bitterness. The skin can be quite tough if not cooked enough, and if you don’t like the texture, I suggest peeling the vegetable before using.
Aubergine Curry
Sephardic Jews and North African Muslims used aubergines in their kitchens long before the rest Europe. After introducing this ingredient into Spain, there are recipes from Southern Italy including melanzane. Because the flesh is so meaty, it can be used as a protein substitute to create dishes suitable for people following a plant based diet. There are so many ways you can prepare this vegetable, including steaming, stir-frying, shallow and deep frying, roasting, and braaiing. Aubergine can be added to sauces to create delicious stews and curries. You can stuff an eggplant, or turn it into a sauce.
Take a look at this inspiring recipe for ♥ Aubergine Curry ♥ from Lavender and Lime #LavenderAndLime Share on X
Click on the links for conversions and notes.
Aubergine Curry
Ingredients
- 125 mls water
- 15 g tamarind
- 75 mls olive oil, divided
- 2 aubergines (about 400g), trimmed, chopped into chunks
- salt to season
- 30 mls all purpose curry paste
- 6 dried curry leaves, finely chopped
- 1 onion, peeled, cut in half and finely diced
- 3 cloves garlic, peeled and crushed
- 1 cm fresh root ginger, peeled and cubed
- 800 g tinned tomatoes
- 30 mls coconut sugar
- 5 g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- yoghurt to serve if needed
Method
- Place the water into a small bowl, add the tamarind and set aside
- Place 15mls olive oil into a large frying pan and heat over a medium to high temperature
- Add half of the aubergines and fry, seasoning with salt as you turn them
- Once nicely golden brown, remove from the pan and set aside
- Heat another 15mls of oil and fry the rest of the aubergines and set aside
- Heat the rest of the oil and add the curry paste and curry leaves
- When fragrant, lower the temperature slightly, add the onion and sauté until soft
- Add the garlic and ginger and sauté until fragrant
- Add the tomatoes, and break them up as soon as they start cooking
- Add the tamarind and the water used to soften the tamarind as well as the coconut sugar
- Give it a good stir and cook for 30 minutes, stirring occasionally
- Add the aubergine and leave to cook for another 15 minutes
- Adjust the seasoning, garnish with the coriander and serve
- Add yoghurt if you find the curry too hot (which I did)
Notes
See the links below for blog posts I published on January 9:
- 2024: Braai Marinade
- 2022: The Black Dress
- 2019: Breeze Inn
- 2017: Roasted Red Pepper Sauce
- 2014: Barbecue Grilled Camembert
- 2013: Moving From WordPress.com To WordPress.org
- 2012: Cooking With Alvin Quah
Well, I call these gorgeous beasties ‘eggplants’ and love them to bits! Am laughing my head off reading ‘all purpose curry paste’ ’cause to me that makes an awful lot of sense – which would take too long to ‘explain’! Normally am just used to ‘all purpose flour’ 🙂 ! Lovely recipe, Tandy!!!
Thank you Eha, and glad you understand the all purpose curry paste!
I do love eggplants, which is odd for me ‘cos normally i have trouble with squishy textures in food. I use tamarind paste in a jar for my curries. And i have found a fabulous range of curry pastes from Tasmania. I loathe those awful Patak ones that are in the supermarkets. Happy curries to you :=)
Next time I need tamarind I will get the paste as it is so much easier to use 🙂
This looks delicious Tandy, I love that you have used Tamarind in the recipe. I’ve just made a chicken and eggplant curry to use up some of the long Japan style eggplant that we grow, using Korma paste. I rarely salt eggplant now if they are fresh. Great recipe, thanks
I wish we could get those eggplants here!
Tandy the Japanese ones are really easy to grow in our backyard.
I might try and bring some seeds home with me if I can find them overseas 🙂
I totally enjoy curries. Eggplants are one of my favourites. This looks so comforting…just like a warm hug on a plate 🙂
That is the best way to explain it!
This really does sound nice, Tandy. I’m hoping to include more vegetarian recipes in my menus this year.
Hope your family is on board with this 😉
What a great recipe! I wish my husband loved eggplant.
Such a pity he does not!
I grew up on “brinjal” curry in Sri Lanka and so I love this “berry” – your recipe sounds so warming and delicious, Tandy – thanks for sharing it.
and thank you for sharing your memories of what you grew up with 🙂
We are very fond of eggplant dishes (and my husband is a Sephardic Jew) and his mom made eggplant frequently. This looks like a recipe we would really enjoy. Tamarind is a nice addition. Thanks.
Hope you try it!
As soon as I read Aubergine curry with tamarind and tomatoes, my mouth starts watering. The curry looks absolutely scrumptious.
Oh, thank you so much! I am sure these are flavours you are familiar with 🙂