This Eggplant curry isn't one for the faint-hearted! Eggplant (Brinjal)is roasted instead of fried to create an equally healthy and healthier alternative (high temperature works here) and then simmered in a highly spiced Indian curry sauce that retains its flavor and partly collapses into an enormous pot of delicious (delicious) soup.
It is low-calorie, has 250 calories, and is vegan. Vegans rejoice!
Eggplant Curry
This curry was inspired by the famed Sri Lankan eggplant curry we enjoy in New Shakthi Sri Lankan in Homebush (Sydney, Australia). It's one of the "holes in the wall" places where servers are annoyed if you think about which three curries you'd like to pack in your lunch box.
"Hurry, hurry, people are waiting!" they shout, looking at the crowd that is forming in front of them.
Then, frightened, I immediately point my fingers at a variety of curries. It isn't important what you pick since everything you find is excellent (and affordable).
Their curry with Eggplant ( Brinjal curry) is a favorite because it has a deeply deep, smoky, and sweet flavor that we believe is due to deep-frying the Eggplant to create massive caramelization and a rich, oily taste.
This recipe is a feasible and healthier version at home in that we're able to duplicate the exact Sri Lankan curry flavor without deep frying; we've decided to go with an overall South Indian style.
However, the result is no more delicious! There's also less oil!
What’s the difference between North and South Indian curries?
India is a nation of 1.3 billion people. It has a rich, deep, diverse, highly local food culture. I don't claim that I am an expert in the field. However, this is a highly general attempt to describe the characteristics of southern and northern Indian food!
The Arabs and the Middle East historically inspire North Indian cuisine, so it tends to include more dairy and meat, with a diet made from Ghee, yogurt, and nuts such as Butter Chicken Tikka Masala and Rogan Josh. Wheat is the primary crop, so flatbreads, such as chapati paratha and naan, are the most common meal accompaniments. Tandoors also originate from the North. Therefore, recipes such as Tandoori Chicken come from the North.
South Indian food tends to be more vegetarian, as seafood or dairy-free vegetarian dishes like eggplant curry are the most popular. Tropical produce naturally includes a lot of coconut, tamarind, curry leaves, and local vegetables unique to the region, and the food can be sorted. Legumes and rice are the mainstays in the South. And from this region are famous Indian dishes such as dosa, Idli, and vada..
What is the recipe for eggplant curry?
Here's the recipe for The Eggplant Curry.
- Don't worry if you cannot obtain all the ingredients you need. I have a solution for you! Check out the notes on the recipe card.
- Two ingredients in this dish that distinguish it as a genuine South Indian Curry are black mustard seeds and curry leaves.
- Small- to medium-sized pieces are ideal, so each piece has some skin that allows them to stay together while boiling in the Sauce instead of becoming a massive pot of pureed Eggplant. Asian eggplants (the thin ones) are also suitable;
- Black mustard seeds appear like poppy seeds but have an astringent, almost wasabi-like taste. They smell Indian and not Japanese! It's not spicy, more a fresh zing. It's around $1.50 in small packets in Indian grocery stores. I usually visit the Indian Emporium in Dee Why in the Northern Beaches, Sydney. Also, it is sold in the Indian food section at the price of Woolworths (Australia) $1.70 and sold on the internet - a small, light packaging so that postage will be low! It is also used in Dal for this Vegetable Samosa Pie, which is fantastic!
- Curry leaves - they smell like curry powder but in fresh curry leaves! (Though to make sure you're aware that curry powder doesn't come by consuming the curry leaf ) Curry leaves impart a wonderful fragrance to any dish they are utilized in. It's readily available to Sydney-siders; Harris Farms, most Coles, and Woolworths sell it. I'm hoping to locate an actual plant! They will stay in the fridge for a long time, as they last for several weeks or can be frozen. The same is utilized in Dal and vegetable Samosa Pie. Add 10 to 15 grams when cooking curried rice, Indian chickpea curry, or vegetable curry. It will bring it to the next level! Alternative Dry curry leaves (not as good; however, it's a great substitute) and Garam Masala powder.
- The other spices are not anything unusual here, just everything you can buy at your local supermarket;
- Coconut milk, also known as coconut cream, is acceptable in this recipe. Just three tablespoons does not taste like coconut. However, it's incredible how much it can do to add a bit of elegance to the taste of this dish. The remaining coconut milk is best frozen in ice cube tray trays and used in recipes that require the addition of coconut. If not, you can do a search on a recipe to find "coconut milk" and select "Using this ingredient," and it will show recipes that include coconut milk in the ingredients. Most recipes will not suffer even if you only have three tablespoons. You can partially use Gado Gado peanut sauce, a scaled-down Thai Satay peanut sauce.
- Tomato - everything is acceptable here, whether it's the pulp or passata (base recipe) or canned tomato that has been crushed (crush it further by hand to make it finer) or a dollop of tomato paste
- Garlic and ginger, as in all Indian curries, having a proper whack is crucial to have the best curry experience!
How to make it – Roasted Eggplant for curry
Here's how you roast the Eggplant: cut it into long batons (they shrink significantly) and then roast at a high temperature using only two tablespoons of olive oil. The outside gets well caramelized. The inside is tender and delicious and retains its shape instead of squeezing into the form of mush. The best method of cooking an eggplant is with the oven!
Please note how the pieces of Eggplant are perfectly browned on the exterior and are still in their shape instead of becoming a wet mass of soup (which occurs when the roast is cooked at a lower temperature). It's just taking in the delicious insides!!
How to make Eggplant Curry
Here's how the curry is prepared:
- Burn off the curry leaves and mustard seeds. The curry leaves and mustard seeds in your home are about to smell like rotten rats!
- Cook off the garlic and ginger (your home will smell more impressive! );
- Incorporate the spice mix (your neighbors will be able to smell an oomph and begin to swoon);
- Then add the tomato and water and blend it into the most intensely flavored curry sauce
- Add the Eggplant and cook until it absorbs the flavor (neighbors will knock at this moment);
- Lastly, mix it with coconut milk (neighbors will be swarming at your front door and won't leave until they have tasted it).
What it tastes like
This isn't a recipe for the faint-hearted as it's not mild and creamy, similar to Butter Chicken. It has a very authentic and intense Indian curry taste rather than typical flavors like recipes made from the simple ingredients of "curry powder" and maybe some Garam Masala.
The prominent flavor is the curry spice - it's impossible to taste the tomatoes (for adding a thicker layer to the dish) and coconut milk (for some slight mouthfeel richness).
Another distinct characteristic of the curry is that it's not saucy. It's a big succulent pot (I will use the word!) MUSH. You don't need a separate sauce!
Healthy! 250 calories per serve.
Indian cuisine requires lots of oil when cooking. You'd fall off your chair if you found out how much oil your neighborhood Indian restaurant uses for its curries!
There are still five tablespoons of oil contained in this recipe. However, it's a vegetarian curry and doesn't contain the fats that meat in a curry will lose and needs to compensate for its taste.
It's not that bad. It has only 250 calories in a serving!
It would be a cup of oil if I had my own way.
PS. Here's basmati rice and a dollop of yogurt. Naan or this flatbread that is a bit more simple for fillings isn't out of the question as a substitute. To make a new side dish, take a look at these South Indian recipes: Cabbage and Carrot Salad topped with Coconut or This Minted yogurt Tomato Salad, this fresh creamy Cucumber Salad, or plain roast Broccolini (skip this recipe and use the Tahini Sauce in this recipe). More vegetarian and salad-based side dishes are available here. If you want to go low-carb, try cauliflower rice (the Sauce is so strong that you won't resist it).