Easy Eggplant Curry

Here's a quick and easy eggplant curry that you can make for a Meatless Monday meal - or any night of the week!  I made this last Monday.  I used a small, round, light purple (Asian variety?) eggplant from our CSA share.  I chose to leave the skin on but you could peel it, if you'd like.  

If you have the time, prep the eggplant an hour or so before cooking:  cut it into cubes and place in a colander or on a baking sheet lined with paper towel.  Sprinkle with salt to draw out some moisture. 

Eggplant Curry
(printable recipe)

Ingredients:

Olive oil
1 eggplant (any variety should work), cut into 1-inch cubes
12 oz. jar of red curry sauce (I used Seeds of Change - Madras Simmer Sauce)
3/4 cup water (or fill the jar halfway and swish it around to get remaining sauce)
1 cup frozen cauliflower
1/4 cup frozen peas
1 cup canned chickpeas, rinsed and drained

1-2 cups cooked rice (I used brown jasmine)


Directions:

1. Preheat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add a small amount of olive oil.  Once the oil is hot, add eggplant cubes and saute until tender and just starting to brown, about 8-10 minutes.

2. Add sauce and water.  Stir to combine.

3. Add frozen cauliflower and peas.  Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to simmer.  Cover and cook for about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.  

4. Add chickpeas.  Stir, cover, and simmer for another 5 minutes until chickpeas are heated through.

5. Serve over rice.

Makes 3 servings.

I served the curry with a side of collard greens (also from the CSA), simply sauteed with some No Chicken broth and a dash of liquid smoke.

Tonight we're having breakfast for dinner - blueberry pancakes, Gimme Lean sausage patties, and cantaloupe.  Yum! 


What are you eating for your Meatless Monday meal?

Spring cleaning - Tofu Curry

Of all the meals in the category, this is most-deserving of the Spring Cleaning title.  All the vegetables used were from the freezer.  The expiration date on both the tofu and the rice happened to be the very day I cooked them.  The date on the sauce was a bit old but I figured it was still safe to eat.  Plus I couldn't let something as delicious as a coconut and red pepper curry sauce go to waste!  The sauce was mild but very flavorful and very creamy.  If you can't get your hands on Seeds of Change, any curry sauce would probably work just as well.  You could also use different veggies, add diced potato, replace the tofu with chickpeas, or use a different type of rice.  The possibilities are endless!

This is a medium hot sauce.  The only other vegan flavor is Madras (hot).

Tofu Curry

Ingredients:

1 lb. extra-firm tofu, drained and pressed*
Olive oil
1 12-oz. jar Seeds of Change Jalfrezi Simmer Sauce
½ jar water
¾ bag frozen cauliflower
¼ bag frozen peas

2 cups cooked brown jasmine rice, prepared according to package directions

Directions:

1. Cut pressed tofu into cubes or rectangles.  I cut mine into 25 rectangles (5 slices lengthwise and 5 slices widthwise). 

2. Heat a large skillet over medium heat.  Add oil.  When oil is hot, add tofu cubes and cook for a few minutes per side, until all sides are firm and lightly browned. 

3. Reduce heat to simmer.  Add the whole jar of sauce.  Fill the jar about ½ full with water, replace the lid, shake, and pour into pan.  Add cauliflower and peas.  Stir until everything is covered. 

4. Cover the pan and simmer for about 10 minutes, stirring a few times, until the veggies are hot.  

5. Serve over rice.
 

Makes 3-4 servings. 

*I pressed mine all day in the TofuXpress.

We ate the curry and rice with a side of green beans - from the freezer, of course.