Eggplant curry which is spicy, sweet, sour at the same time. Great accompaniment with rice or breads and totally delicious.
On days when I go meat-less, one of my favourite things to cook are eggplants. Not only am I a big fan of the dark shiny purple skin and the soft mushy interior when cooked, I also love the ease with which eggplants take on flavours. Whether it is a Moussaka, a salad or my favourite way of roasting it on an open fire for an Indian Bhartha, this is an ingredient that seldom fails to bring out the creativity in me.
Having eaten and cooked with eggplants all my life, it wasn’t difficult for me to pair them up with Asian ingredients. Especially a curry. That way the eggplants become the star of the show and can effortlessly replace the non-vegetarian component of a meal. Sweet, sour, spicy, hot are the typical flavours that come to one’s mind when thinking about an Asian curry. This one has all of them. Feel free to play around with the quantities of each ingredient as per taste.
I have used Lebanese eggplants in this eggplant curry that are thinner and smaller than regular eggplants but very similar in taste with the large round ones. The larger ones can be used too but they would need to be sliced up into long thin pieces.
Spicy Asian Eggplant Curry
Serves 4
3 garlic cloves, thinly sliced lengthways
5 cm piece ginger roughly chopped
2 stalks lemongrass, outer skin removed (white part only)
1 tbsp. lime zest
4-5 red chillies (or as per taste)
3 tbsp. vegetable oil
7-8 small Lebanese eggplants, trimmed, halved or quartered lengthways
1 onion, finely chopped
1/2 cup finely diced tomatoes (I used canned diced tomatoes)
1/2 cup water
11/2 teaspoon finely chopped palm sugar
Salt, to taste
Coriander leaves for garnish
Finely chopped red chillies for garnish (optional)
Place the garlic, ginger, lemongrass, lime zest in the bowl of a food processor and process to a smooth paste.
Heat 2 tbsp of the oil in a large wok over medium-high heat. Add the eggplant and cook, covered, for 2 minutes. Turn the eggplant and cook, covered, for a further 3 minutes or until tender. Transfer to a plate lined with paper towel.
Heat the remaining oil in the wok over medium-high heat. Add the onion and fry for 2-3 minutes or until it softens. Add the spice paste and stir-fry for 1 minute or until aromatic. Add the tomatoes and water and bring to a gentle simmer. Simmer for 5 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. Taste and season with palm sugar and salt.
Reduce heat to medium. Add the eggplant to the tomato mixture and cook, stirring occasionally, for 2 minutes or until heated through. Transfer to a serving platter and serve immediately with rice.
I’m sorry dear friend for not visiting lately! I’ve been so busy with family visiting and kids and school. I know I promised to stop by even when I’m on hiatus 🙂 I’ve just been exhausted and fall asleep as soon as I hit my pillow at night. No time to read anything.
I hope you are well and enjoying your family, I bet the boys are having a blast.
I do know that your family is eating well! Look at these gorgeous eggplants! I love baigan, absolutely. These look delicious and I love the long sliced look of them. I also love the gorgeous purple in the photos.
Have my dear, talk to you soon. xx
My mum is always looking out for eggplant curry recipes, my mum and I adore it 😀
Maybe your recipe is exactly what I have been looking for it looks delicious!
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
I am not a big fan of eggplant, except made as bharta or stuffed with besan.. But this one looks really try worthy!! And great colors and photos as usual 🙂
Yum and triple yes to Asian style eggplant curry. Its our fav; reasonably priced and available throughout the year. The scent of lemongrass is ever divine.
Yum and triple yes to spicy eggplant curry. Its also our fav; eggplants are available throughout the year and reasonably priced too. I also love the scent of lemongrass.
This looks so delicious.
I love the combination of flavours. Will be trying this soon. Thanks for sharing the recipe.
I love so much eggplant and in a curry even more…As always, the photos are gorgeous, Sonali! xx
Wonderfully presented, eggplants are my husbands favorites and I don’t get tired of cooking this vegetable at all! As said it has a beautiful color and texture thats blends wonderfully well with Asian spices!
I love eggplants too!! 🙂 They are one of my favourite veggies…though I’ve never cooked with them!! :O I usually have mine in an Asian stir fry, or baked but I love the idea of having them in a curry- especially since yours looks so tasty too!
Oh! This eggplant sounds and looks fabulous…like the spices and yes, curry just sounds delicious!
Have a great week 😀
This is a really fantastic curry. Those are the prettiest eggplants too, iridescent skin. You pics are superb in this post.Eggplant is a veggie I have learned to love more as an adult, this would be a good recipe for me.