Recipe: Aubergine and cauliflower curry.

This is a beautiful vegetarian curry.

This aubergine and cauliflower curry uses a aromatic spice mix and the recipe is really simple and reasonably quick to make if you are time-poor. Key to getting a good depth of flavour in your sauce is to caramelise your onions well at the start, so be a little patient. Use salt to draw out the moisture and don't rush the sautéing of the onion. It is absolutely delicious.

Serves 4.

INGREDIENTS.

• 1 Tbsp Coconut Oil
• 1 Large aubergines, cut into large chunks
• 8 or so Cauliflower heads
• A good handful of Spinach
• 1 Tin of chickpeas
• 1 Onion, chopped
• 2 Cloves of garlic, crushed
• 5cm piece Ginger, finely grated
• 1 Tsp Ground Cumin
• 1 Tsp Garam Masala
• 1Tsp Fenugreek
• 1 Tsp Ground Turmeric
• 1/2 Tsp Chilli powder
• 1 Tsp runny honey or agave syrup (v)
• 1 Tsp tomato puree
• 400ml Coconut Milk
• 1 Tbsp Smooth Peanut Butter
• Seasoning
• Fresh coriander to serve

You can also add courgette to this for extra veg yumminess!

METHOD:

Place a tablespoon of coconut oil in the pan and melt over a medium to high heat. Pop in the cauli florets and brown them off a little and set aside, then pop in the aubergine and brown that a little too. Set the veg aside for later.

Turn the heat down to a medium heat and allow the pan to cool a little before adding a little more coconut oil and your chopped onion. Key to getting the depth of flavour right is to caramelise the onions, so allow them to fry gently for 5 minutes adding some salt after about 3 minutes as this helps to draw out the moisture and caramelise the onion. After 5 minutes add the garlic and the ginger and allow it to cook off for a further 5 minutes. Keep a nice steady heat, don’t allow the onion to burn.

Once the onions have been softening for 10 minutes, add the dry spices, tomato puree, honey and mix well together to create your curry paste. Then add the vegetables back to the pan along with the chickpeas and stir to coat in the curry paste. Add the tin of coconut milk, stir well and bring to a simmer. Pop your peanut butter in a small bowl and then spoon off some of the curry sauce from the pan, add it to the peanut butter and stir it to create a smooth paste – this prevents you from having lumps of peanut butter in the sauce. Add the mix back to the pan and stir it in well. Season the curry well and throw in the spinach, stir until wilted.

Finally, throw in some chopped coriander and serve up with your rice – delicious!

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