Eggplant and Green Bean Curry

My usual approach to vegetables is to bake, steam or stir-fry them with garlic but this year I’m determined to improve my culinary skills when it comes to cooking vegetables.

This recipe comes straight out of my Eat Clean, Green and Vegetarian recipe book.

I’ve used a healthier oil, coconut oil and substituted activated almonds. Homemade curry paste works really beautifully and it’s a gorgeous curry, richly layered, warming and packed with melding flavours.

Eggplant a pear-shaped fruit like avocado is a very versatile veg to have in the kitchen.  It can take on a myriad of forms, as an appetizer, side dish or sauce just look at this wonderful photo from Sabra Krock for the New York Times for meal inspiration.

If you're in an eggplant conundrum, read more about what to do with eggplants here.

My five of top reasons for including eggplant on your shopping list are...

1. The skin of the eggplant contains essential phyto-nutrients which improve blood circulation and nourish the brain.
2. Eggplants provide fiber, which protects the digestive tract and are used for controlling and managing diabetes.
3. Research studies show that eggplant can lower ‘bad’ cholesterol. Cooking eggplant in good fats such as coconut oil is best.
4. Eggplants are high in bio-flavonoids, which are helpful to control high blood pressure and relieve stress.
5. The Vitamin K and bio-flavonoids in eggplants strengthen capillaries and help to prevent blood clots.

If you’re not a nightshade fan, partaking in an anti-inflammatory diet and want to create a winning vegetable curry, just substitute eggplant for zucchini.

Here's how...

Eggplant and Green Bean Curry

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

• Place all the curry paste ingredients in a food processor with 2 tablespoons of filtered water and whizz together
  for a few seconds.
• 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.
• 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.
• Season with salt and pepper, add the almonds, coriander and lime juice and serve with the lime halves on the side.

Happy Cooking  😛

Lee xo