Indian spicy Brinjal curry with aubergine and tomato

This recipe is for one of my favorite dishes called brinjal. It uses a typical base gravy or curry as it is known made from tomato, onion, garlic and a combination of spices and of course..aubergine.

What's a brinjal then anyway?

Interestingly (to my own shame as I only found out today) brinjal actually means aubergine in many parts of the world including including South Asia and Africa - AKA eggplant which is the American way of saying it and one I never really understood. It doesn't look OR taste like an egg at all does it?!

Anyway lets not digress...on with the cooking :)

How to make a curry 101

This is a typical way to make a gravy which is both simple and delicious. Not to mention cheap - you can easily make a dish like this for around £1-2 per head (thats probably about a steem buck each now!). Of course this depends on if you choose to use meat or make it vegetarian/vegan like this recipe.

It's simple and delicious. And I'll try include a few tips I think work along the way. I've been doing curries for a few years now but if you have any more tips then please leave a comment below and we will all learn together!

Here we go then. Knives at the ready...

Recipe

For this recipe of brijal you will need:

1 large onion, finely chopped
1 small onion, chopped
1 large aubergine, cubed or sliced
2 tbsp tomato puree
3 medium fresh tomatoes, quartered 
1-2 cups tomato sauce
4 cloves of garlic, roughly chopped
1 tsp salt and pepper

1 1/2 tbsp cumin
1 tsp cinnamon
1 tsp red chilli powder
1/2 tsp smoked paprika
2-3 green finger chillis, seeded and chopped

3 tbsp Extra Virgin olive oil

Step 1
Start by heating a little oil in a pan and browning off the aubergine. Cook them for about 5 mins on a medium-high heat until golden brown and soft then remove onto a plate or bowl and let sit. Heat the pan again to a low temperature. Now add the dry powder spice and gently warm to release the aroma. Add a little oil to create a soft paste, then the onions, garlic and fry gently for 2-3 mins.

Top tip #1
The beauty of food from this part of the world is just this - the combinations are endless. Make the base in the same way but mix up the ingredients and spices to make some of the most popular Indian dishes you might find at your local takeaway.

Top tips #2*
Be sure to use good fresh ingredients though. Ground spices need to be as fresh as possible too. Not the caked out stuff you get after leaving them for years at the back of the cupboard. Invest in a good spice rack and your tastebuds (and friends and family too will thank you.)!!

Step 2
Add a little more oil and hot water if needed to soften the onions and garlic before then adding the green chillis, chilli powder and tomato paste. Start to integrate the ingredients together while gently ramping the heat up. If the paste starts to stick - that's ok! Just use a little water to lift it off the pan. The secret is in fact this will add some base notes of caramel which add depth to the dish.

Top tip #3
We all have different tastes, likes and dislikes. But when cooking a curry the important thing is to know the ingredients you are working with to create the right balance of taste with a suitable texture. This is by no means an authentic brijal recipe which would includes fenugreek and fresh corriandor and omit tomatoes but it is nonetheless delicious and wholesome. So the tip is work with whats available.

The dry spice powder used might be replaced for seeds but personally I prefer this way to control the flavor too ;)

Step 3
Keep working the paste in for a few more minutes until soft. Add the chopped fresh tomatoes and soften for about 1minute. Then add the aubegine and sliced onion and start to work in the sauce. Cook for a further 1-2 minutes. Then gradually add tomato sauce a spoon full at a time until your reach a soft, smooth and rich consistency. Salt and pepper to taste.

Top tip #3
Amazing tomato sauce is about 200ml of pasata and a tin of peeled plum tomatoes, , salt, pepper and some mixed herbs. Get at it with a fork to break up the big tomatos then add the juice from the top. Discard of the flesh at the bottom - it doesn't add much taste and you already have the fresh tomato in there which should stay in intact for a great consistency curry ;)

And that's everything you need to make a tasty brinjal with aubergine and tomatoes. Serve with toasted bread, ideally a naan, buttered pilau rice and fresh chopped coriander. You can add a dollop of fresh yogurt too and serve with some fresh chopped chillis to really spice things.

So there you have it. It's really that simple and, in the eternal words of MR White..Delicious!

Thanks for stopping by then. Please try it out and let us know how it goes. And if you like it leave a like if you love it subscribe and follow for more recipes and top cooking tips!
All the best and good luck,
Mj