Baked Eggplant Curry cooked in a tangy and sweet sauce is served with Jasmine rice. This is one of my favorite Eggplant Recipes. Long slices of Eggplant are baked in the oven and tossed in a flavorful, spicy, and tangy Sauce of Coconut Milk. This Sri Lankan Eggplant Curry is easy to make and is so delicious. You can serve this with Naan Bread or Jasmine Rice or Indian Flat Bread called Parathas.
Eggplant Curry
Eggplant Curry is not only delicious. But it's so easy to make. This is surely something which you will love forever. Eggplant Curry in Coconut Milk is sweet with a hint of tang because of the Tamarind. If you cannot find Tamarind, just use Lemon juice instead for the tartness.
Also, this is a low-carb and vegan recipe! Which is so good right!!
Sri Lankan Eggplant Curry
This Sri Lankan Eggplant Curry is not for the faint-hearted. It's surely something which you've never tried before but you're going to love every bite of this curry.
We love Sri Lankan food in our home. It's quite like South Indian Recipes. The heavy use of Coconut and Tamarind is what marks any Sri Lankan or South Indian Curry.
Sri Lankan Cuisine
Sri Lanka is an Island Nation, its cuisine involves heavy use of Seafood and Coconut. This is just like South Indian Cuisine which too relies on the waters for livelihood and hence Seafood, Rice and Coconut are sorts of a staple in this region of South East Asia.
Apart from that, spices like Cinnamon and Black Pepper are grown in Sri Lanka and hence this is used a lot in Sri Lankan recipes as well.
Low Carb Eggplant Curry
Indian and Sri Lankan Cuisine uses a lot of oil in cooking. Especially, when it comes to Eggplant, it is deep-fried in hot oil until it gets crispy and golden brown.
However, taking the healthy road here, I have baked my Eggplant slices. Baking the Eggplant Slices takes a little long time but it's always good to use less oil right!
Also, for a healthy alternative, serve this with Cauliflower Rice. The sauce is so flavorful and strong that you would love it for sure!
How to make Baked Eggplant Curry
This Baked Sri Lankan Eggplant Curry is a quick and simple recipe. It's so easy that you would love to include this recipe in your vegetarian weeknight dinner menu. Its quick, easy, low carb, and fortunately vegan 🙂
Baking the Eggplant
- The first step, of course, is to bake the Eggplant.
- Cut long lengthwise slices of Eggplant. Do not cut too thin slices. It should be about 1/2 inch thick.
- Season it with salt & pepper and Canola Oil.
- Place them in the baking tray and Roast at 230C or 450F for 15 minutes.
- Turn and roast for another 10 minutes or until the Eggplant turns golden brown in color.
Making the Sauce
- Heat Canola Oil in a skillet or pot.
- Add Black Mustard Seeds and allow them to sizzle for 10-15 seconds. Stay away from the pot
- As the Mustard Seeds sizzle, add Curry Leaves, Dried Red Chillis, Cardamom Pods, and allow them to sizzle for 10 more seconds.
- Next, add the thinly sliced Onions, chopped Ginger, and Garlic.
- Also, add the spices - Turmeric, Ground Cinnamon, Smoked Paprika, Garam Masala, Salt & Pepper. Cook for 2 minutes over medium-high heat.
- Next, add the Tomatoes & Tamarind Pulp. Stir to combine everything.
- Next, add the Coconut Milk and allow the curry to simmer for 5 minutes.
Stir in the Roasted Eggplants & Serve
- Finally, just stir in the Roasted Eggplants and serve.
- Garnish with some Yogurt and Chopped Cilantro or Curry Leaves before serving.
Other Recipes you will love
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Eggplant Curry - Sri Lankan Eggplant Curry
INGREDIENTS
To season the Eggplant
- 2 Large Eggplants cut into long lengthwise slices (about 1/2 inch thick)
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Canola Oil
To make the Sauce
- 1 teaspoon Canola Oil
- ½ teaspoon Black Mustard Seeds
- 1 handful Curry Leaves
- 3-4 broken Dried Red Chilis
- 3 pods Cardamom cracked
- 4 cloves Garlic minced
- ½ inch Ginger chopped finely
- 2 medium sized Onion thinly sliced
Spices for the Curry
- ½ teaspoon Turmeric
- ½ teaspoon Smoked Paprika
- ½ teaspoon Garam Masala
- ½ teaspoon Ground Cinnamon
- 1 teaspoon Salt
- 1 teaspoon Pepper
- 1 tablespoon Tomato Paste
- 1 tablespoon Tamarind Paste
- 1 can Coconut Milk
INSTRUCTIONS
Roast the Eggplant
- Season each slice of Eggplant with oil and then with salt & pepper. Place them on a baking dish. Use a sharp knife to make criss-cross marks on it to help it get cooked quickly. Roast it in the oven at 230C or 450F for 20 minutes. After 15 minutes, flip and roast the other side for 10 more minutes.
Make the Sauce
- Heat Canola Oil in a skillet or pot. Add the Black Mustard Seeds and allow them to sizzle for 10-15 seconds. Stay away from the pot to avoid getting hurt from the crackle. As the Mustard Seeds sizzle, add Curry Leaves, Dried Red Chillis, Cardamom Pods, and allow them to sizzle for 10 more seconds.Next, throw in the thinly sliced Onions, finely chopped Ginger, and minced Garlic. Also, throw in the spices right now - Turmeric, Ground Cinnamon, Smoked Paprika, Garam Masala, Salt & Pepper. Cook for just 2 minutes over medium-high heat stirring constantly to cook the spices.Next, add in the Tomato Paste & Tamarind Paste. Stir to combine everything well. Next, add the Coconut Milk and allow the curry to simmer for 5 minutes.
- Finally, add in the Roasted Eggplants. Pour some of the curry over it so as not to break the Eggplant. Do not stir everything or else it will all become a mushy goo. Carefully serve it beside some Jasmine rice or Naan Bread.
- Garnish with some Yogurt and Chopped Cilantro or Curry Leaves. Serve hot.
Video
Notes
- If you are unable to find Tamarind Paste, replace it with Lemon juice of equal quantity.
- Curry Leaves, Black mustard Seeds, and Dried Red Chile Peppers are an essential part of Sri Lankan and South Indian Cuisine which you can only find in a well-stocked Indian Supermarket. You can also order them online and get them home before use.
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