Quick Eggplant Curry
This 40-minute, Indian-inspired coconut eggplant curry with chickpeas is cozy, comforting, super satisfying, and naturally meat & dairy-free – It's bursting with flavor, and so easy to prepare!
Servings: 4 to 6
Calories: 610kcal
Ingredients
- 2 medium eggplants sliced into 2-inch round slices
- ¼ cup of olive oil plus 2 tablespoons
- 1 teaspoon of salt
- ½ teaspoon of pepper
- 1 red onion diced
- 2 garlic cloves sliced
- 1 teaspoon of curry paste plus more to taste
- 1 (15-ounce) can of crushed tomatoes in their juices
- 1 (15-ounce) can of full-fat coconut milk
- 1 (15-ounce) can of garbanzo beans drained
- Cilantro for garnish (optional)
- Lime for garnish (optional)
- Cooked rice (optional)
Instructions
- Preheat the oven to 450 degrees F. and line one large baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Set aside.
- Place the eggplant on the baking sheet in an even layer.
- In a small bowl, mix the oil, salt, and pepper. Evenly brush both sides of the eggplants with all the oil mixture, and roast for 15 to 20 minutes or until golden and soft, but not becoming mushy when handled. Remove from the oven and set aside.
- While the eggplant is roasting, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat in a pan with a lid. Add the onion and garlic, and cook for 5 minutes or until lightly charred.
- Add the curry paste and stir for 20 seconds. Add tomatoes, coconut milk, and garbanzo beans (if using). Stir until well combined. Bring to a boil, lower the heat to a simmer, and cook for 20 minutes or until the eggplant is ready to come out of the oven. Stir occasionally to prevent the sauce from sticking to the bottom of the pan.
- Once the eggplant is ready, carefully transfer them individually into the pan. If you have a large pan, try to place them into an even layer. It’s ok if they are tightly placed in the pan. Don’t flip or try to fully coat them with the sauce.
- Cover with the lid and cook on low heat for 5 minutes. Turn off the heat and allow it to sit undisturbed with the lid on for 10 minutes for the eggplant to absorb the flavors and finish cooking. Remove the lid and test the eggplant for doneness to personal preference. Cook longer for a soft and creamy eggplant.
- Serve and optionally garnish with cilantro and lime wedges over rice.
Notes
- For deeper flavor: Sauté the curry paste/powder with the aromatics until it smells fragrant to bloom the flavors, before adding liquid to the pan.
- Adjust the texture: Change how finely you chop the eggplant and/or if you mash a portion of the chickpeas for different texture/consistency.
- Tweak to taste: After simmering, taste the curried eggplant, and add more curry paste/powder if preferred.
Nutrition
Calories: 610kcal | Carbohydrates: 57g | Protein: 16g | Fat: 40g | Saturated Fat: 22g | Polyunsaturated Fat: 3g | Monounsaturated Fat: 12g | Sodium: 750mg | Potassium: 1434mg | Fiber: 18g | Sugar: 19g | Vitamin A: 576IU | Vitamin C: 20mg | Calcium: 141mg | Iron: 9mg
