Eggplant And Green Bean Curry (Recipe)

There’s nothing quite as disappointing as an undercooked eggplant, but the soft creaminess of a perfectly cooked eggplant is the epitome of culinary perfection. Slowly simmered and intermingled with sizzling spices, this curry will whisk you away to eggplant heaven.

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Serves 4

Ingredients

• 4 tablespoons extra virgin coconut oil
• 6 small eggplants (aubergines), cut into 6 cm (21/2 inch) wedges
• 300 ml (101/2 fl oz) tomato passata (puréed tomatoes)
• 270 ml (91/2 fl oz) additive-free coconut milk
• 300 g (101/2 oz) green beans
• Celtic sea salt
• Freshly ground black pepper
• 80 g (23/4 oz/1/2 cup) activated almonds, roughly chopped, to serve
• Handful of coriander (cilantro) leaves, chopped, to serve
• Juice of 1 lime
• Lime halves, to serve

CURRY PASTE

• 1 large brown onion, chopped
• 3 garlic cloves, chopped
• 2 thumb-sized pieces of ginger, chopped
• 1 large red chilli, finely chopped
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon cardamom
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 teaspoon curry powder

Method

1. Place all the curry paste ingredients in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of filtered water and whizz together for a few seconds.
2. Heat 2 tablespoons of the coconut oil in a large frying pan over medium–high heat and fry the eggplants until browned. Remove from the pan and set aside on paper towel to drain.
3. Heat the remaining coconut oil in the pan and cook the curry paste ingredients for about 3 minutes. Add the eggplant and stir so it is well covered in the paste. Add the tomato passata and coconut milk and simmer, partially covered, for 10 minutes. Lastly, add the green beans and cook for a further 6 minutes.

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