Baingan ka bharta (roasted aubergine curry)

One of my all time favourites as I love aubergines. As does my 2 year old son, who is so obsessed with them that he pretends to cook and carry them around with him all day! I decided to roast a pepper in this curry to give it a different flavour. Otherwise the aubergine is the only thing traditionally roasted in this recipe. Hope you enjoy this curry as much as we do!

INGREDIENTS

2 medium aubergines
1 medium onion finely diced
1 yellow bell pepper deseeded
1 fresh tomato diced
3 cloves garlic
1 chilli finely chopped
1 tsp grated ginger
1/4 tsp mustard seeds
1/4 tsp cumin seeds
1 cinnamon stick
1 tbsp oil
1 tbsp tomato passata
1 tsp salt or more to taste
1 tsp ground coriander and cumin
1 tsp garam masala
1/2 tsp paprika
Pinch of sugar
Handful of chopped coriander

METHOD

1. Preheat oven to 180c/350f/gas mark 4 Wash aubergines and cut off tops. Deseed pepper and then brush both aubergine and pepper with a little oil. Place on a baking tray and roast for 30 minutes

2. Take pepper out at this stage and turn aubergines over. Continue to cook for a further 20 minutes or until the skin has shrivelled and aubergines flesh is soft

3. Remove aubergine skin once cooled. Blitz pepper and aubergines in a blender to a coarse paste

4. Heat oil in a saucepan with cinnamon stick,mustard and cumin seeds. Once the mustard seeds start to pop add the onion, garlic, ginger and chilli. Cook until onion is translucent

5. Slowly put in the blended aubergine paste and give a good stir on a low heat. Add the fresh tomatoes, passata, salt, coriander and cumin powder, paprika,turmeric and garam masala into the curry. Mix well and cover to cook for 7 minutes on a low heat

6. Sprinkle on the coriander and chilli if you want an added kick. Now the curry is ready to be eaten with fluffy chapattis

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