Currywithauberginemushroomschickpeasandspinach Recipes

CURRY WITH AUBERGINE, MUSHROOMS, CHICKPEAS AND SPINACH

Steps:

• Dry roast the whole spices (coriander - mustard seeds) on a hot frying pan for a few minutes.
• Let the spices cool off and grind them with a pestle and mortar or in a spice mill.
• Heat the canola oil and fry the chopped onion together with the cinnamon stick until the onion is translucent.
• Add chopped garlic, ginger and bay leaves and fry them for a few minutes.
• Add the ground spices, turmeric, paprika, cayenne pepper, crushed tomatoes, water and salt and bring the sauce to a boil.
• Let the sauce simmer for at least 15 minutes.
• Add the lemon zest and lemon juice.
• Remove the cinnamon stick and the bay leaves.
• Blend the sauce with an immersion blender.
• Heat the 1 tbsp canola oil in another saucepan and roast the red onion and garlic for a few minutes.
• Add the aubergine and mushrooms and cook them for 5 minutes at medium heat while stiring frequently. The liquid from the mushrooms helps preventing the vegetables from sticking to the saucepan - in this way you can use less oil.
• (If you prefer your aubergines very soft and mushy try slicing the aubergine lengthwise (1 cm slices) and spray/brush the slices with olive oil and give them a sprinkling of ground black pepper. Then bake the aubergine slices in the oven for 20-30 minute at 360 degree F. When the aubergine slices are cold enough to handle cut them into cubes and add them to the curry).
• Add the sauce and let the curry simmer for 10 minutes.
• Add the chickpeas and let the curry simmer for 5 more minutes.
• Add the spinach and bring the curry back to boiling and simmer for 5 minutes.
• Serve the curry on a bed of basmati rice.

MASHED AUBERGINE AND SPINACH CURRY RECIPE

Steps:

• Preheat oven to 200°C.
• Gently fry the chopped onions in four tablespoons of oil, add the spices and stir well. Once the onions have softened, set the pan to one side.
• Put some oil on a piece of kitchen paper and rub the aubergines all over, then prick them about three times with a fork, place on a baking tray and put in the oven on a high heat for about 30 minutes Check them after about 10 minutes and turn them over until they're slightly charred on the outside.
• Take the aubergines from the oven and cut them down one side and take the tops off. Open them up and carefully scoop the flesh out and place in a bowl. Mash the flesh with a fork.
• Now put the spice and onion mixture back on the hob and heat gently, add the mashed aubergine and stir well.
• Wash the spinach, break it up into small pieces and add to the pan. Stir well then add your chopped tomatoes.
• Leave for about 10 minutes on a low heat then add your crushed garlic and coriander, stir well and gently heat for another 15 minutes.
• If possible leave the curry for a couple of hours to stand and reheat just before serving.