Roast aubergine & red lentil coconut curry with red rice.

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Aubergines

Cook time: 45 minutes

Serves: 5-6

Aubergines also known as Eggplants belong to the nightshade family of plants and are used in many different dishes around the world. Like a few other ‘vegetables’ aubergines are technically fruits as they grow from flowering plants

aubergines are a nutrient-dense food, meaning they contain a good amount of vitamins, minerals and fiber in few calories. As you will be able to see from the dark purple colour Is rich in antioxidants.

This dish was an all round crowd pleaser, it’s very straight forward to make and one of those dishes that taste twice as nice the day after once all the flavours have settled in even more.

Do leave your comments / tag me on Instagram if you do attempt to recreate this and let me know how you get on

Enjoy x

ingredients

  • 300g chopped tomatoes 

  • 3 tbsp Coconut oil

  • 250g Red lentils

  • 2 Medium sized aubergines 

  • 400g coconut milk

  • 2 tbsp creamed coconut

  • 2tsp rock salt

  • 1 tsp black pepper

  • 1 onion (diced)

  • 3 cloves of garlic

  • 3 tablespoons Curry powder

  • 1tsp ground turmeric

  • 1/2tsp cayenne pepper (optional)

  • 1/2 ground ginger

  • handful of fresh coriander

  • 1tsp olive oil

Preparation

  1. Begin by chopping your aubergines/ eggplants into medium sized chunks. Season with salt and pepper, drizzle 1-2 teaspoons of olive oil and bake in the oven at 150 degrees for 20 minutes. 

  2. In a large pan heat up your coconut oil (you can use olive oil or any other oil to substitute) until it has completely melted. Then add the chopped onions and garlic. Lightly simmer until golden brown.

  3. Add the dry spices (curry powder, black pepper, salt, cayenne pepper, cumin & ginger) and stir occasionally for the next 5 minutes.

  4. Add the chopped tomatoes then allow to simmer for another 10 minutes.

  5. Add the tinned coconut milk followed by the creamed coconut. 

  6. Allow the curry to cook for another 15 minutes then add the red lentils and 2 cups of water. Cook for 15 minutes making sure you stir constantly to avoid the red lentils from sticking to the bottom of the pan as they tend to cook very quickly. 

  7. While your curry is cooking away, cook the rice of your choice. On this occasion I used camargue red rice.

  8. Remove the aubergines baking in the oven and add to the curry and stir well. 

  9. Finely chop some fresh coriander and sprinkle over the curry to finish. 

  10. Turn the heat off and serve with rice. 

Nancy Odogwu1 Comment