Today I’d like to share my recent concoction with you, a lovely spiced aubergine dish that I threw together recently; packed full of fresh vegetables and spices, it’s full of goodness as well as flavour..
I’ve recently been filling jars with my own ginger paste and garlic paste by blending up fresh peeled and chopped ginger and the same with bulbs and bulbs of garlic, so that I’ve got it readily to hand. I’ve also created a jar of ginger-garlic-chilli paste by mixing them up with a few fresh small green chillies – again, so useful to have ready to go! And whilst I’ve been at it, I put together a ‘curry paste’ full of basic flavours ready to add to any Indian dish, including this aubergine bhaji.
Ingredients
Curry paste:
Garlic – 3 bulbs, all cloves peeled
Ginger – a good hand sized piece of fresh garlic, peeled
Green chillies – 3 small, stalk removed (add more for your taste)
Turmeric – 1 tsp
Ground cumin – 2 tsp
Ground coriander – 2tsp
Blend it all together and store in a well sealed jar in the fridge. This can form a good base or starting point for any curry.
2 tbsp oil of your choice, I used coconut oil
1 tbsp yellow mustard seeds
2 medium red onions, peeled and roughly chopped
2 medium aubergines, cut into chunks
2 medium tomatoes, roughly chopped
2 tbsp curry paste (above)
2 tbsp tomato puree
1/2 tsp amchoor powder (dried mango powder)
Heat the coconut oil in a large pan over a medium heat and add the mustard seeds
As the seeds start to sizzle and before they start popping everything, add the chopped onions; cook for 10-15 minutes until nicely browned; it’s worth the time and effort to get the onions really tasty
Add 2 tablespoons of curry paste and cook for a few minutes to cook off the rawness; you may need to add a splash of water to loosen the mixture from the base of the pan
Add the tomato puree and stir through, then add the aubergine chunks and the tomatoes and cook it all until everything is soft and cooked through; you may need to add some water if it seems too dry
Towards the end add the amchoor powder for a slight shot of sourness, you can use lemon juice as an alternative
Enjoy!
NOTE: you can add more spice or heat to this dish based on your taste
I ate this over several days, some with quinoa, some with added toasted pumpkin seeds for a crunch, some on its own. For me it’s a main course dish, but for you it might be a good side dish?
And now you also have some curry paste ready to hand in your fridge 🙂
I’m bringing my aubergine bhaji to this week’s Fiesta Friday, co hosted this week by the lovely Josette and Lily.
I’m also sharing the dish with everyone at Throwback Thursday with Alli, Quinn, Meaghan, Mollie and Carlee, and Cook Once Eat Twice with Corina – this is a perfect dish to cook a huge pot of and eat over several days. It just gets better!
All of the spices are from Spice Kitchen UK, all of the fresh produce is from my local market, and all of the inspiration is from lots of YOU 🙂 thank you xx
another tantalizing dish from your kitchen 🙂 looks yummy !
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Thank you so much 😉 I hope you approve x
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without a doubt 🙂
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Thank you 😀😀
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Yummy! The pictures look awesome
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Thank you 😀😀😀
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This sounds gorgeous! I would happily eat up the aubergine curry for days and I think it’s such a good idea to make your own curry paste. Sometimes I’m in such a hurry and don’t want to get my food processor dirty just for a quick meal so it would be lovely to have a homemade paste in the fridge. Thank you so much for joining in with #CookOnceEatTwice!
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Thank you so much, I’m so glad you like it 🙂
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Are you on Instagram?
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I have so much to learn about curries. Thanks for helping me out! Love the spice.
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Thank you, I hope it’s useful 🙂
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Wow! I love all those pastes you did, Elaine. They are indeed very useful. This meal looks fabulously delicious. I get so weak when I see aubergines – I want this now! 😀 Happy FF and have a great weekend! x
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Thank you honey 🙂 it does make cooking so much for efficient having the pastes already made. I’m glad you like it, I’d make you aubergines every day xxxx
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I am so excited to try this paste yumm! I think it will become my go to curry paste! The recipe is lovely as well! xxx
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Thank you, I hope you like it 🙂 you can always add other spices of your choice to it x
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yumm xx
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I love the idea of having this ready to go when you need it. Sometimes a little advanced prep can make all the difference between choosing a healthy meal and a not so healthy meal, especially on a busy day. Happy Friday to you! 🙂 xo
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I completely agree; I think not having things prepared can be a real downfall for people who are trying to eat healthily. I always have endless things ready to go in my fridge so that I’m never caught short without good choices 🙂
Thank you, happy weekend xx
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Amazing Elaine!!! See? I told ya, you were Indian in another life. 🙂 I too make the ginger/garlic paste, it is ever so simple and handy as almost every single curried dish needs the ginger/garlic/onion saute in the beginning. I just sent your link to a friend in Philly. We’re having an Indian cooking session there tomorrow (these gals are Americans), but love Indian and have cooked it themselves. When she told me she was going to cook aubergines, I thought I’d send her your recipe, it looks great! We are all going to cook a dish there, should be fun.
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How wonderful! What an honour, thank you 🙂 I hope you have great fun, and great food!!! xx
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(I am now making my own tomato puree and blanching onions for onion paste 😀😉)
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Brilliant! You clever gal you! Let me know how you do that, I’ll have to give it a go too. I’ll let you into a secret though…Much as I love curries, I can’t stand the smells of ginger/garlic/onion going through the entire house. I shut all my doors, open all the windows etc. 🙂 So if I can get all that in a paste, it won’t be as bad 🙂 ha ha
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Ha ha! I do that too, I was finding that my lovely clean washing was starting to smell of whatever I’d cooked so now I too shut the doors and open the kitchen window 🙂
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Anyway…so, this morning I’ve made my tomato puree and onion puree and just made my first shahi paneer – it’s good!!! 😀😀😀
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OK make sure you post it pretty please, I’ll be waiting :). I also have a pot of cloves, cinnamon and some citrus peels on the back burner when I’m cooking curries.
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I will do 🙂
What are the cloves, cinnamon and peel for?
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Just have it bubbling away, actually simmering more like. It gives the air a nice fresh smell, perhaps like you’re baking an apple pie :). A lot of times I’ll do it right after cooking all the curries. Some people love the curry aromas, but not me.
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Aha! Cool, I bet that smells amazing!!
I actually don’t mind the smell, I love walking into my house and smelling spices, but I might try your trick anyway just because it sounds good 🙂
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I’ve just taken a loaf of sourdough out of the oven so hopefully that will be the overriding smell in the house for a while 🙂
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Ooooo yes, anything out of the oven has to have a wonderful smell. Enjoy your day Elaine xo
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Thank you, and you xx
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It looks amazing, Elaine! I could tuck into it right now….
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Thank you 🙂
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Wow, you’ve been busy in the kitchen. Your dish looks delicious and healthy -yum! Thanks for sharing and happy FF:)
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Thank you so much, and happy fiesta Friday to you too xx
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This dish looks and sounds delicious elaine! How long do you think the homemade pastes would last?
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Thank you 🙂
I’ve had my pastes in the fridge for up to about 3-4 weeks I think and they’ve been fine. I think you just a need to keep an eye on them…or you could freeze them in ice cube trays and take out a cube when you need it?
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Awe the freezer!!! Yes!
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Love the idea of having the curry paste ready to go Elaine – how long do you think it keeps for?
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Thank you – I had mine in the fridge for about 4 weeks I reckon and it was fine. You’d need to judge for yourself really…:)
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Thanks Elaine will give it a go
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Ahhhh….. You are learning the trick of everyday North Indian cooking. Dabba Masalas (aka coriander, cumin, turmeric and red chilli powders because they are staples in a NI spice box) and adrak-lehsun (ginger-garlic) are used to spice up a range of dishes.
The aubergine looks great!
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Yay! I love it! Thank you 😀😀😀
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Your homemade curry paste looks delicious and fragrant, Elaine! 🙂 Happy FF xx
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Thank you, and you xx
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I will send you an email today 😉
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Okay, I’ll look forward to it xx
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I like eggplant…this curry looks yum:-)
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Thank you 😀😀😀
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I own dried mango powder but have never used it! Now I can – thanks!
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Cool 🙂
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Love the homemade curry paste, I will try it. Thank you.
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Great, I hope you like it 🙂
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I love your veggie and spice loaded dishes! I can imagine how the flavors develop over time too. I’m a HUGE fan of fabulous leftovers to look forward to! Happy FF & Hope you are having a wonderful weekend!
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Thank you, me too!!!
Have a great weekend x
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I think I’ll make it this week☺️
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I hope you like it xx
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Elaine, you have made an excellent version of the traditional ginger-garlic paste in Indian cuisine. Love the addition of cumin and coriander. The bhaji looks perfect!
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Thank you so much 😀😀😀
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Oh wow this looks sooo flavorsome Elaine. … truely amazing. ..:) 🙂
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Thank you 😀😀
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When I think of curry, I think of my mom. She made it for us when we were kids. Good memories. This is so smart to make ahead good foods to help keep good nutrition “fast food”. Your cauliflower rice looks wonderful! Glad I stumbled upon your blog. Cheers, Koko. 🙂
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Thank you so much, Koko, I’m so glad you like it 🙂
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This looks awesome Elaine! I love your idea of making your own garlic and ginger pastes! I use so much that It would save me hours of cooking time! I think I will get to work very soon with this idea! How long does out last in the fridge?
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Thank you, Julianna 🙂
I haven’t properly measured it but I’ve had my jars of paste in the fridge for several weeks and they’ve been fine..but I also use so much that they’ve never had time to go bad or anything!!
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Your curry paste sounds so good and I can imagine it being a wonderful base for just about any curry! Have a great week ahead 🙂
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Thank you, and you xx
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Looks delicious Elaine. Good idea to make this curry paste! I love eggplants though now I stay away from them since they are said to aggravate my RA.:( But this looks great!
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That’s a shame, but thank you 🙂 the aubergine could easily be replaced with other vegetables x
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Looks delicious!! Happy belated Fiesta Friday xx
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Thank you xxxx
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Wow! Aubergine bhaji. I have to try this. Love aubergines. Emma xx
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Thank you, I hope you like it xx
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This looks like a great curry! I love the idea of making your own curry base to keep in the fridge. Must make putting together a curry a complete doddle. Thanks for sharing 🙂
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It does speed up the process!!
Thank you 😀😀
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I have been wanting to mix up a curry paste but it always seemed like I never knew where to start! Thank, Elaine for sharing this! Also, thanks for linking with us at Throwback Thursday last week and sorry I didn’t get by earlier to comment!
Mollie
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My pleasure, I shall endeavour to remember weekly 🙂
Thank you – I hope you find the paste recipe useful x
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I know I will – I sometimes buy the little jars we can get here so I have it on hand if I’m in a hurry but they’re pricey!!
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I can almost taste it already.
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😀😀😀
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This looks so yummy. I looove curries, I don’t make them enough. It’s heading towards the colder months here in Australia so I definitely should get my food processor out and make some fresh curry paste! The aubergine bhaji looks delicious too. Great post! x
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Hi Laura, thank you so much, for visiting and reading and commenting 😀😀😀 I hope you like it
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I do indeed! I look forward to reading more of your wonderful posts xx
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Thank you 😀😀😀😀
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Shopping list: aubergine! 😀 Oh I want to eat this right now!!! 🙂 x
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Do it!!! 😉
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Hopefully tomorrow… 🙂 x
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I love cooking vegetables so I must try this one, nice recipe & post!
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Thank you 😀😀
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