Tuesday, August 29, 2017

Easy cauliflower and aubergine vegetable curry

I have made a few vegetable curry dishes over recent months but neglected to photograph or post them. This is a shame, because our evening lighting was lovely in the middle of summer and I could have taken decent photographs if I'd thought to do so. Going with the spirit of better late than never, I am pleased to share this curry that I photographed in waning evening light this week.


Mr Bite is not, historically, a big fan of these sorts of curries. He also has a low opinion of cauliflower and aubergine. However, we have discovered that mango chutney and naan bread go a long way to winning him around. So it was with this meal. I don't think he would have been happy to have the curry and rice alone, but with chutney and naan bread, he professed himself satisfied.



Like so many of my recipes, this meal can be customised to suit the ingredients you have to hand. I used borlotti beans, but any legumes would work. I made cauliflower and aubergine the star vegetables, but you could use a different assortment if you prefer. Even the spices can be tweaked according to your taste. Feel free to use this as a recipe or a rough source of inspiration.

Whilst Mr Bite and I enjoyed this for dinner, Mini Bite was less impressed when I dished some up to her the following day. In fairness, I don't think she disliked the taste, but she decided the texture was excellent for smearing around her highchair and then equally satisfactory to swipe off sideways onto the floor. A warning: this is tasty to eat, but a pain to clean up should you get it all around your dining room!


Easy cauliflower and aubergine vegetable curry
Full of goodness and full of taste, this is a hearty meal for 4
Vegan

Author: Bite-sized thoughts


Ingredients
1 tbsp olive oil
1 tsp curry powder
1 tbsp dried ground turmeric
1 tbsp dried ground paprika
1/2 tbsp crushed / pureed fresh ginger
1 clove garlic, crushed
1 brown onion, diced
1 head cauliflower, broken into florets
1 aubergine, chopped
1 tin (375g) crushed tomatoes
1 tin (375g) borlotti beans, or beans of choice
2 tbsp coconut yoghurt

Brown rice, to serve

Mango chutney and naan bread, optional, to serve

Method
Heat the oil, curry powder, turmeric, paprika and ginger in a non-stick pan over medium-high heat. Add the garlic and onion and saute for 5 minutes or until golden brown.

Reduce heat to medium and add the cauliflower, aubergine and tomatoes. Allow to simmer, stirring occasionally, for 15 or so minutes. Add the borlotti beans, reduce heat to low, and simmer for a further 15 minutes or until ready to serve. Add the coconut yoghurt shortly before serving and stir through.

Are you a fan of curries? Any favourite combinations?

13 comments:

  1. I'd love the aubergine and cauli combo! Cauliflower is a favourite for me, no naan needed!

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  2. LOL - with turmeric in it, I bet it was fun to clean. The curry sounds delish to me.

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  3. My husband would have no problem with this, he likes cauliflower and does not mind aubergine either.

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    Replies
    1. Then he is more advanced than Mr Bite ;)

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    2. He is more advanced than me actually, as I still snug my nose to both of these veg, but am experimenting and cooking with both much more than I used too.

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  4. I WISHED I liked curries. Ive tried to like them. Ive made them with pretty much every single vegetable and spice known to man but I just cant get on with them. *cries* For some reason I just dont like the taste of the spices mixed together, or maybe its just my home cooking? haha. Maybe I'll give your recipe a whirl since its not spice heavy!

    luciemcadams.com

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    Replies
    1. Well, you don't have to like them :-) But if you do try this, I hope it goes some way to winning you over.

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  5. I would love this - it is a bit similar to one my mum made me last week - though she used potato and carrots and I think I might have preferred your vegie combo - but I do find potato great comfort food and E probably preferred my mum's vegies. Wonder if he might feel happier about eggplant in curry with some chutney and naan.

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    Replies
    1. Mr Bite would have preferred your mum's veggies too, I suspect!

      Chutney and naan do go a long way to disguising non-favoured vegetables :-)

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  6. Kari this looks delicious! I have fallen in love with curries lately. I never had one before about 2 years ago. The eggplant is a great addition. Actually I should call it aubergine as everyone in the world but the US calls it that. Aubergine is so much prettier than the word eggplant anyway. I always feel it's so fancy. :)
    I hear you about lighting, once summer is over it's so tough to use natural light, it's mostly dark by the time I get dinner ready!

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    Replies
    1. Australia calls it eggplant too, so you're not alone :-) I'm trying to convert myself now I live in England but the old term slips out sometimes!

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