Eggplant Chickpea Curry

This Eggplant and Chickpea curry is a hearty and warming Indian-style korma curry filled with sweet potato and topped with pops of crispy caramelised eggplant.

Take your curry game to new heights with this Eggplant and chickpea curry. The secret? Crispy caramelised baked eggplant! We coat eggplant in a mixture of miso paste, brown sugar, cinnamon and spices, and then pop it in the oven for 15 minutes. Out will come these darkly golden gems that are almost like eggplant croutons for your curry! They add bite and texture, and the smell when you have them baking in the oven is truly mouthwatering - perfect to work up an appetite for dinner!

This recipe is perfect if you are feeling a little under the weather. It's packed with leafy greens (which we add right at the end to retain their form and nutrients), healthy vegetables and fibre.

And I don't know about you, but when I have a cold, a good dose of heat goes a long way in clearing out sinuses and making me feel better. I made this dinner for our friends who were feeling unwell and they loved it too.

You can make this recipes as spicy (or as mild) as you like, just adjust the amount of curry paste you use. If you use the amount in the recipe, you'll have a fairly mild curry. You can also add Greek yoghurt or coconut yoghurt to make it more mild.

This recipe is vegetarian and easy to make vegan, just swap Greek yoghurt for coconut yoghurt to serve.

The other great thing about this recipe is that it's very easy to prepare and comes together in under 30 minutes (like all recipes on my site), so you're able to enjoy a delicious meal and then get on with your lives.

What do I need to make this Eggplant and Chickpea curry?

For the crispy eggplant

• 1 tsp white miso paste - yes, this is a little unusual, but the miso gives the eggplant a saltiness that balances nicely with the cinnamon and sugar.
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tsp caraway seeds (optional - you can substitute these for cumin seeds or skip)
• 2 tsp cinnamon
• 1 pinch salt and pepper
• 2 tbsp brown sugar
• 1 eggplant

For the curry sauce

• 1 sweet potato
• 2 cloves garlic
• 3 cm fresh ginger
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 tbsp cumin (these are optional, as the curry paste will contain these spices, I just like to add a little extra).
• 1 tsp turmeric
• 100 g Korma curry paste
• 400 g chickpeas can
• 400 ml coconut cream canned
• 100 g baby spinach

To serve

• 450 g microwave rice (or basmati rice)
• 1 cup Greek yoghurt (or coconut yoghurt)

How to prepare this Eggplant and Chickpea Curry

Get ready for a flavour explosion with this eggplant and chickpea curry!

Preheat your oven to 220 C (425 F) fan-forced grill and line a tray with baking paper.

In a large bowl, mix miso paste with olive oil, then add caraway seeds (optional), cinnamon, brown sugar, salt, and pepper. This will form the coating of our crispy caramelised eggplant.

Chop your eggplant into 1 cm pieces, add to the bowl, and mix. Spread on the tray in a single layer and place in the middle rack of the oven for 15 mins.

While the eggplant's cooking, peel your sweet potato and chop it into 1 cm pieces. Place in a saucepan, cover with water, and boil for 7 mins, or until tender.

Next, mince garlic and peel and grate your ginger. Heat oil in a pan and cook garlic and ginger until fragrant, then add cumin, turmeric, and curry paste. I recommend about ¼ cup of curry, but you can use more or less, depending on how spicy you want it.

Add drained chickpeas, drained sweet potato, coconut cream, and water (use the can to fill with water so you get the last of the cream). Mix until well combined and simmer for 5 mins. Meanwhile, microwave your rice.

Just before serving (if you're making this in advance, pause here), add baby spinach and stir through to wilt. Serve with rice, topped with yoghurt and crispy eggplant. Season to taste. Yum!

Substitutions

• Alternative Protein - you can add chicken to this if you would like to add some meat. Slice up chicken breast and cook with the curry paste.
• Vegetarian - this recipe is vegetarian, and easy to make vegan. Simply swap Greek yoghurt for Coconut yoghurt.
• Gluten Free - this recipe is gluten free.
• Dairy Free - Swap greek yoghurt for coconut yoghurt.

Kid-Friendly Variations

• You can either serve kids curry before you add the spinach, and mix through equal parts yoghurt.
• Or for smaller kids, you can serve them their curry deconstructed - plain sweet potato, chickpeas, rice and yoghurt.

Equipment

You will need an oven, a baking tray, a microwave, a frying pan, a stovetop.

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