Eggplant Lentil Curry

During my trip to Seattle to visit family for the holidays, I felt a bit uninspired with cooking. On my plane ride from NYC, I watched an endless amount of CHOPPED episodes and immediately went to Instagram to probe others for my own “CHOPPED” list of ingredients.

One of the suggestions immediately stuck out to me, reminding me of the flavors of the tagine’s my father would make during my childhood. The list consisted of eggplant, lentils, coconut milk, raisins, and aloe vera gel (which was not used for safety reasons, hahaha). My father loved stewing lamb with cinnamon, raisins, and prunes in the jus that dripped off the lamb shank… ultimately creating a medley of sweet, savory, and rich umami flavors.

I knew I had to recreate one of my favorite lentil currys, with the addition of the raisins and spices typically used in traditional tagines. Let’s just say that you may go up for a third serving. Enjoy!

Eggplant Lentil Curry

INGREDIENTS

• 1 cup dry red lentils

• 2 tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 yellow onion, diced

• 4 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tsp turmeric

• 2 tsp cinnamon

• 1 tsp cardamom

• 1 tsp cumin

• 1/2 tsp allspice

• 1/2 tsp cayenne 

• 3-4 cups vegetable stock

• 1 cup dried raisins (optional, can replace with prunes or dates)

• 1 (6 oz) can tomato paste

• 1 eggplant, cubed

• 1 (14.5 oz) can of full-fat coconut milk

• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar

• salt and pepper to taste

DIRECTIONS

To prepare the curry:

1. Dice the onion and garlic cloves. In a large pot, heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil over medium heat. Saute the onion and garlic cloves until translucent (about 3-4 minutes)

2. Using a wooden spoon, stir in the spices and cook until fragrant (about 30 seconds).

3. Add the dry lentils and 1 cup of vegetable stock. Stir until incorporated.

4. Add the raisins and 1 tsp salt. Bring to a simmer under medium heat, cover and cook for 10-15 minutes.

5. Add an additional 2 cups of vegetable stock, cubed eggplant, and tomato paste. Stir until all of the eggplant is coated and mixed together. Simmer under medium heat, uncovered, for 10-15 minutes until it begins to thicken. Cover and cook for an additional 5 minutes.

6. Stir in the coconut milk and apple cider vinegar and mix until incorporated. Add salt and pepper to taste and adjust any seasonings (adding more cinnamon, cumin, or cayenne to your liking), if needed.

7. Serve with white rice, greek yogurt, and a slice of lemon or lime.

8. Dive in!