Light Eggplant (Aubergine) and Tomato Curry

Nigel Slater pitches this recipe as a "light vegetable curry for a summer's day". The resulting dish will not have a thick sauce but rather a highly flavoured juicy sauce. Serve over rice or as a side dish to meat. For this recipe you ideally want the small, light purple eggplants found in Turkish stores.

• Ready In: 45 mins
• Serves: 4

Ingredients

• For the spice paste

• 3  garlic cloves, peeled
• 8  cardamom pods
• 1  teaspoon mustard seeds
• 2  teaspoons turmeric
• 2  teaspoons cumin seeds
• 2  small hot red chili peppers

• For the curry

• 3  tablespoons  oil
• 500  g  small eggplants
• 3  medium onions, peeled and sliced
• 1  inch ginger
• 600  g tomatoes
• 500  ml  vegetable stock or 500  ml water
• 4  tablespoons  coriander

Directions

1. Pour the oil in a shallow pan and heat.
2. Halve the eggplants and cook in the oil until they they colour and soften slightly.
3. Remove and drain on paper towel.
4. Add the onions and let cook over a low heat until golden and translucent.
5. Next make the spice paste by crushing the garlic with a little sea salt, the black seeds from the cardamom, mustard seed, turmeric and cumin.
6. Keep going until you have a thick paste.
7. Stir the paste into the onions and cook for a few more minutes.
8. Quarter the tomatoes and add them to the mixture.
9. Pour in the stock and bring to a boil, then turn the heat down so the dish is simmering and leave to bubble until the eggplant is tender.
10. Stir in the coriander leaves and serve.