Recipe: Wild By Tart’s Spicy Peanut Aubergine Curry

Culinary duo Lucy Carr-Ellison and Jemima Jones of Belgravia restaurant and deli Wild by Tart share one of their favourite curry recipes.

Healthy curries are the ultimate way to give yourself a dose of comfort any night of the week. Although a dish known as curry is now so varied and widespread across the globe that its definition remains very open to include numerous cuisines and cooking styles. It is understood to mean either vegetables, meat or fish cooked with a spiced sauce, becoming almost an umbrella term. A term for the food style we love. They all make clever use of the combination of spices and how they come together.

This aubergine curry recipe is wonderfully rich and filling, with a smoky spice and satisfying crunch of peanut, that is heightened and harmonised with a zingy yoghurt. We have got into the habit of making big batches of spice mixture, and freezing into ice cube trays for individual portions. Ideal for these cold dark months after work, to ignite your souls with exotic, ready to go spices.

Recipe: Spicy Peanut Aubergine Curry

Feeds 4

Ingredients

For the paste

• 2 red peppers (from a jar)
• 5 garlic cloves
• A thumb of ginger
• 2 lemongrass (bottom chopped and tough outer layer removed)
• 3 shallots
• 4 lime leaves
• Medium bunch of coriander stalks
• 5 red chillies- deseded
• 2 tsp smoked paprika
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander

To add:

• 1 tin coconut milk
• 250ml stock
• 1 tbsp tamarind
• 2 big aubergines, cut into large chunks (2 inches)
• 2 tsp cumin seeds
• 1 tbsp of crunchy peanut butter
• A squeeze of maple syrup
• 1 lime – juice

Optional:

• 4 tbsp yoghurt
• 2 limes zested and juice.
• 1 tbsp of finely chopped shallot
• 1 tsp ground cumin

Method

1. Blitz your curry paste to a smooth paste, add a little water if needs be
2. Heat a large frying pan and in batches fry your aubergine over a high heat in a little groundnut oil until golden crisped all over, adding cumin seeds at the last few minutes to crisped up with it
3. Now in a pot heat some coconut butter over a medium heat and add your paste, keep trying, making sure it doesn’t catch (lower the heat if needs be). Keep cooking until fragrant. If starting to dry or catch add a little water.
4. Now add the stock, coconut milk and tamarind- simmer for 5 minutes until infused. Then add the aubergine and a good squirt of honey and slowly simmer for a further 15 minutes, then add peanut butter and mix through and infuse for a few more minutes.
5. Finish with a good squeeze of lime, now taste to see for adjustments- maybe more spice, salt or tang needed.
6. Mix yoghurt mixture and season.
7. Serve with steamed rice and garnish with toasted chopped peanuts, freshly chopped coriander and chilli and a dollop of yoghurt mixture.

MORE RECIPES:

Veg of the Week: Aubergine / Vegan Spinach & Quinoa Bowl