Plant-based· VG · GF · DF

Aubergine & Chickpea Curry

Name: Aubergine & Chickpea Curry
Prep time: 15 min
Cook time: 40 min
Total time: 55 min
Cuisine: Indian
Ingredients: 2 (550g) aubergines, 2cm cubes; 1 tin (240g drained) chickpeas; 1 × 400g tin chopped tomatoes; 2 (300g) onions, finely chopped; 150g frozen leaf spinach; 30g tomato purée; 4 cloves (20g) garlic; 20g fresh ginger; 1 (10g) green chilli; 14g cumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder; 15ml lemon juice; 15g fresh coriander; 30ml rapeseed oil; 1 cube vegetable stock cube; 250ml water, to make up the stock

Roasted aubergine and chickpeas in a rich, tangy tomato and ginger curry with spinach. Baingan chana, block-style.

makes 21 blocks, about 22p each

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BatchJoy

batchjoy.com/recipes/aubergine-and-chickpea-curry/

Illustration of a bowl of Aubergine & Chickpea Curry

Time: 55 min15 min prep · 40 min cook
Makes: 21 blocks
Cost per blockPer block: 22p
Calories per blockCalories: 51 kcal
Spice: 2 of 5

You’ll need

Batch size

blocks

2 (550g)aubergines, 2cm cubes
1 tin (240g drained)chickpeas
1 × 400g tinchopped tomatoes
2 (300g)onions, finely chopped
150gfrozen leaf spinach
30gtomato purée
4 cloves (20g)garlic
20gfresh ginger
1 (10g)green chilli
14gcumin, coriander, turmeric, garam masala, chilli powder
15mllemon juice
15gfresh coriander
30mlrapeseed oil
1 cubevegetable stock cube
250mlwater, to make up the stock

Allergens: none of the 14 major allergens in the ingredients as listed. Check the labels on stock cubes, sauces and pastes, as brands vary.

Serve it

Basmati rice and yoghurt · Warm naan or chapati · Over a jacket potato

Method

Step 1: Toss the aubergine in two-thirds of the oil and roast at 200°C fan for 25 minutes until golden and soft.
Step 2: Meanwhile heat the rest of the oil in a large pan over a medium heat and fry the onions for 10 minutes until golden. Add the garlic, ginger and chilli for 1 minute, then the spices and purée for 1 minute.
Step 3: Add the tomatoes and stock and simmer, uncovered, for 10 minutes.
Step 4: Add the roasted aubergine, chickpeas and spinach and simmer for 8 minutes, crushing a little aubergine into the sauce.
Step 5: Stir in the lemon juice and coriander, season, cool and freeze in 70g blocks.

Hotter: add a second green chilli and ½ tsp hot chilli powder.

Nutrition (estimated)
	kcal	protein	carbs	fat	fibre	salt
Per block	51	1.9g	6.7g	1.8g	2.3g	0.26g
Per 3 blocks	153	5.7g	20.1g	5.4g	6.9g	0.78g

Cook’s notes

Roasting the aubergine first stops it going watery and spongy in the freezer.
Add a spoon of yoghurt at serving for a creamy finish.
Paneer cubes stirred in at reheating make it richer.

Serve it

Basmati rice and yoghurt · Warm naan or chapati · Over a jacket potato.

Freeze, reheat and serve

Freeze: Cool it within two hours, portion it into 70g blocks in a silicone tray, then bag and label them. It keeps for 3 months.
Reheat: Microwave 3 blocks, covered, for 1 minute, stir, then heat for another 1 to 2 minutes until piping hot all the way through. Or warm them in a pan with a splash of water. Never refreeze thawed blocks.
A portion: 3 blocks (210g) make a dinner for one adult: about 153 kcal and 5.7g protein before rice, bread or potatoes.

Aubergine & Chickpea Curry questions

What can I use instead of aubergine?

Courgette or butternut squash, cut into 2cm cubes and roasted the same way, both work. Courgette softens faster, so check it after about 15 minutes.

Can I use fresh spinach?

Stir in a couple of large handfuls of fresh spinach for the last 2 minutes of simmering, just until it wilts.

Can I use dried chickpeas?

Soak about 100g dried chickpeas overnight and boil them until tender, which gives roughly the drained weight of a tin. Add them at the same point as the tinned ones.