Pulled aubergine and chickpea curry
- Prepare
- less than 30 mins
- Cook
- 30 mins to 1 hour
- Serve
- Serves 4
This creamy vegan curry is packed with plant protein as well as being budget friendly. Roasting an aubergine whole makes the flesh go silky soft, which along with coconut milk adds a rich creaminess to this curry that is so comforting in the winter months.
By Rhian Melvin
Ingredients
- 2 aubergines
- 1 tbsp olive oil, for drizzling
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 1 onion, finely chopped
- 4 garlic cloves, crushed
- 3cm/1¼in piece fresh root ginger, peeled and grated
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 tsp ground cumin
- 1 tsp ground coriander
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- 2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 400ml tin coconut milk
- 200ml/7fl oz vegetable stock
- 1 lime, juice only
- salt and freshly ground black pepper
- chopped fresh coriander, to garnish
- 500g/1lb 2oz freshly cooked basmati rice, to serve
Method
Preheat the oven to 220C/200C Fan/Gas 7. Line a baking tray with baking paper.
Place the aubergines on the baking tray. Drizzle the aubergines with the olive oil and season with salt and pepper. Roast for 35–40 minutes until completely soft.
When the aubergines have been roasting for about 15 minutes, heat the vegetable oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat. Fry the onion with a pinch of salt for about 5 minutes until softened, then add the garlic and ginger. Cook for about 1 minute until fragrant then stir in the dry spices and toast for 1 minute.
Stir in the chickpeas. Pour in the coconut milk and stock and squeeze in the lime juice. Give everything a good stir, bring to a simmer and cook for about 10 minutes until the sauce thickens and the chickpeas are tender.
Remove the aubergines from the oven and carefully slit the skins down the centre lengthways. Using a fork, shred the flesh from the skin. Discard the skins and add the flesh to the curry. Stir through and season with salt and pepper.
Garnish the curry with the coriander and serve with the rice.
Recipe tips
If preferred you can cook the aubergine under the grill or in an air fryer instead. Prick the aubergines all over then drizzle with oil and season with salt and pepper. Cook – turning often – until very soft (you will see the shape of the aubergine collapses and the skin will be brown and wrinkled).
