It’s not easy to take nice pictures in winter, is it? That said, I doubt very much that this dish would photograph terribly well in any light. Perhaps I should have followed Sophie’s lead and just took a picture of the aubergine itself, though I’d be very aware of failing to live up to her example. If you haven’t seen Sophie’s fabulous aubergine picture click here. It won an award, you know.
What this dish lacks in looks, it makes up for in taste. The idea came from Jill Dupliex’s new book and the first time I made this dish I followed her recipe to the word. It was excellent – very fresh and oddly meaty for a veggie dish – but I knew I wanted to play with the recipe. The following is the result. The spice mix was borrowed from a beef curry recipe that featured in Delicious magazine a couple of years ago.
N.B.: For a quicker but, frankly, rather dangerous method of skinning the aubergine, don’t pierce the flesh before roasting it. I forgot to do so a couple of weeks ago and when I opened the oven after 20 minutes my aubergine had expanded somewhat. Not thinking, I took a sharp knife and prodded the swollen vegetable. POP! It burst like a balloon! The skin flew off (miraculously missing my face) and I was left with a perfectly skinned aubergine. 😀
Cinnamon and Aubergine Curry
(Serves 2)
1 large aubergine
2 tblspn ground nut oil
1 onion, chopped very finely
Knob of ginger, chopped very finely
4 cloves of garlic, chopped very finely
1 tsp cumin
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 – 2 tsp dried chilli (to taste)
400g tin of chopped tomatoes
Coriander leaves
- Preheat oven to 220oC. Prick aubergine several times and roast for 20 mins. Leave to cool and peel off skin. Chop flesh roughly.
- Meanwhile, heat oil over a med-high in a heavy based pan and add the onion, ginger and garlic. Fry until just golden.
- Add the spices to the pan and cook for another 2 mins.
- Add the aubergine and tomatoes to the pan. Season. Bring to the boil and simmer for 20 mins.
- Serve garnished with coriander.
A Wee Bit of Cooking 
I love the ‘quick’ peeling instructions…i would have done the same thing! Your curry looks lovely…I’m assuming the parsley is NOT from your garden…
wow – close thing there with the aubergine – type of thing I would do!
I know what you mean about the light – I wanted to take some pictures of some cards I had made – but the light was terrible.
Little veggie bombs in the oven…do be careful, but it does sound a bit funny. So glad you were not in the line of fire! Your dish looks and sounds very comforting. I am such a tomato fan, that any new recipe with them will appear in my kitchen and this one sounds very flavor packed!
I know what you mean about the light for your photography. I keep moving around the house and yard looking for the best natural light and it is not quite like summer light. But Wendy, your photo looks lovely! So yummy I cannot wait to make it:)
I was looking at the new Jill Dupleix book just this morning. My local bookshop has a big pre-Christmas cookery book display, which is proving tortuous for me. After looking through a whole load of the new releases, Jill’s book isn’t the prettiest, but I reckon it’s the one I’d use the most every day.
And you curry looks great – exactly the sort of thing I’d make at home, even in the current 28C weather we’re having.
Cinnamon. Aubergine. CURRY!
How fabulous. Right, that’s it, I’m off to the bookshop for Jill’s book. I still get a partial discount (20% – not bad for being an ex-employee, eh?).
I like living dangerously. Will attempt your more cooking-by-the-seat-of-your-pants method.
Really love the sound of this curry. Eggplant is good with anything!
Katie – It’s coriander. But it’s not from my garden either! Had no luck in growing it outside the greenhouse.
Carolyn – I laughed so hard I had tears streaming down my face. It was only later I thought about how it could have been dangerous. :-S
Deb – Thanks! Think one problem is I’m not home during daylight during the winter. Have to rely on artificial light.
Kathryn – I was a little disappointed with the book on first glance but the more I look at it the more ideas I get. Perhaps I was expecting something totally different. It’s not, but it does have some lovely recipes.
Lucy – Wear protective clothing!!!!!
Anh – I can be fussy with aubergine perhaps because it tends to soak up lots of oil. The roasting method is my favourite!
I know what you mean about winter light – I have to try to do all my blog cooking in the morning so that I can take photos near the window at noon! But your aubergine curry looks and sounds lovely, perfect for a winter’s day.
Very tasty fare!
I can’t believe that it blew up on you! Can you imagine going into casualty and trying to explain that?
I will definitely have a go at this one, it is my knid of curry! In fact I think I might phone Graham and ask him to pick up an aubergine on the way home! I have some mushrooms to use up too!
Rosa – Wish I were home in the mornings! 🙂
Holler – Hope you enjoy it!
Hey Wendy, that’s not a bad picture at all – the colors are good and it’s nicely in focus. I’m slightly put out by the fact you have identified my photography trick mind – taking a picture of the ingredient definitely saves the pressure to get a nice picture of the finished dish later 🙂 Mind you, even doing that is getting harder at the moment though, it’s just so dark!
I was recently given a copy of Jill’s book and was pleasantly surprised. I didn’t expect to like it but there are some good ideas in there and I like her unpatronising tone (I’ve read loads of ‘healthy eating’ books and some of them are really hard work!). Haven’t had it long so the only recipe I’ve tried is the keema which was delicious.
Sophie – I leave the house in the dark and leave school in the dark just now. That won’t change before mid-february now. Other than the obvious energy issues, the photo problem is nagging me too!
At first I wasn’t impressed by the book (many of the recipes were versions of dishes I already know) but it’s definitely growing on me.
My first thought was: what unorthodox ingredients. Then my second thought was: Mmm, lamb would be nice in this.
I know what you mean about taking pictures so winter dishes look alluring, though I’m afraid I haven’t cracked it for summer time either so I’m really up against it during the winter. 🙂
Oh my dear!! you are so honest and I love this!!!! all of us have bad experiences with food, over all when we make something new. I think is the only way to learn!! xxxx Gloria
Annemarie – Lamb would be good with this, you’re right. May try that soon.
Gloria – Totally agree! 🙂