Aubergine, black-eyed bean and dill curry by Meera Sodha

This recipe first appeared in the Guardian in 2017, and has become one of my daughter’s go-to recipes. It is quite quick and easy, and delicious. I don’t worry about salting the aubergines that are in the shops just now, they don’t have many seeds and they are young and tender.

INGREDIENTS:

  • 4 tbsp rapeseed oil
  • 5 cloves of garlic, peeled and chopped
  • 4 large tomatoes, peeled and chopped, or 400g tinned tomatoes
  • 1 1/4 tsp Kashmiri chilli powder, or any other regular mild to moderate chilli powder
  • 3/4 tsp turmeric
  • 1 slightly heaped tsp salt
  • around 3 aubergines, cut in half lengthways and then into 1cm thick slices
  • 300g dried black-eyed beans (or two cans of cooked beans)
  • 40g fresh dill
  • greek yoghurt, salted and whipped with dill and mint.  

METHOD:

  • Rinse the black-eyed beans and put them in a lot of cold water on the hob, bring to the boil and simmer while you chop and cook the rest of the ingredients. Top up with water so they don’t boil dry. 
  • Heat the oil over a medium heat, and then add the chopped garlic. Fry for a couple of minutes until it starts to colour, and then lob in the tomatoes, turn the heat down and simmer until the mixture is soft. You should do this for tinned tomatoes as well, as it will lessen the tinny taste. 
  • Add the chilli, turmeric and salt and cook for a couple of minutes before adding in the aubergine. Stir, cover and cook over a low heat for at least 20 minutes, until the aubergines are tender.
  • Stir in the beans, bring back to a simmer, and adjust the seasoning. 
  • Just before serving, add the chopped dill. 

This is good with plain boiled rice, yoghurt and flat-breads, and possibly a side salad. For a vegan version, use a vegan yoghurt.