Smoky Eggplant Curry

This is a cozy and hardy dish that has an elegant mix of flavors.

It’s a good one to try if you are a curry skeptic. You can make it less curry flavored and more smoky by adjusting the amount of curry powder.

It is a simple recipe, but you do have to remember to roast the eggplant before making the curry.

Ingredients

2 medium size eggplants

3 Tbsp of vegetable broth or water

1 yellow onion, diced

3 cloves garlic, minced

2 Tbsp ginger, minced

1/2 cup chopped cilantro, plus more for garnish

1 tsp curry powder

1 Tbsp smoked paprika

1 tsp garam masala

1 (28-oz) can crushed tomatoes

2 (15-oz) cans kidney beans

1 Tbsp agave

3 Tbsp lime juice (1 lime is usually enough)

Unsweetened plain coconut yogurt for garnish (optional)

Preheat oven to 450°F and line a baking sheet with silicon mat or parchment paper. Poke the eggplants all around with a fork and put both eggplants on the baking sheet. Cook the eggplants for 40 minutes or until they have collapsed.
Let the eggplants cool completely before peeling off the skin with your hands. Cut the eggplants into rough cubes and set aside in a bowl.
In a 4-quart pot, saute the onions in the vegetable broth/water over medium-high heat for 5 minutes or until translucent.
Add the garlic and ginger and heat for 2 more minutes or until fragrant.
Add the chopped cilantro and heat until wilted.
Stir in the curry powder, smoked paprika, and garam masala. Toss the mixture so that the onions are coated with the spices.
Add the tomatoes and eggplant. Cover the pan and let simmer for about 15 minutes.
Add the kidney beans, agave, and lime juice.
You can eat it as just a soup or serve over a bed of greens with brown rice/quinoa. You can also top it off with some coconut milk yogurt and cilantro.

If you like the taste of curry, increase the amount of curry powder to 1 Tbsp.
You can use store bought coconut yogurt or make your own by using a food processor to combine firm/extra firm tofu with 1 tsp coconut extract. I like using Mori-Nu, but use whatever tofu brand is most convenient for you.

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