South Indian Eggplant Curry Baked Recipe
User Reviews
5
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Prep Time
10 mins
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Cook Time
1 hr
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Total Time
1 hr 10 mins
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Servings
4
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Calories
217 kcal
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Course
Main Course
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Cuisine
Indian
South Indian Eggplant Curry Baked Recipe
Description
South Indian Eggplant Curry Baked Recipe begins by coating eggplant cubes with a spice paste including coriander, cumin, black pepper, cayenne, garam masala, and salt, then baking them to develop flavor and tenderize. The onion, garlic, and ginger add depth to the base. Separately, a tempering of mustard seeds, fenugreek seeds, and curry leaves is prepared in oil, adding aromatic layers typical of South Indian cooking.
The tomato puree and coconut milk create a creamy, tangy sauce that is enriched with red lentils for heartiness. This mixture is combined with the baked eggplant to complete the curry. The flavors balance spice and creaminess, with curry leaves imparting a distinctive aroma. Lemon juice and cilantro added at the end brighten the dish.
This curry can be served as a main or side and complements rice and breads. Practical adaptations include stovetop preparation or oil-free options using broth. Curry leaves are critical for authenticity but can be substituted by a combination of bay leaf, coriander, and lime juice if unavailable, and they freeze well for long-term storage.
Ingredients
For the eggplant:
- 2 teaspoons neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 2 teaspoons ground coriander
- 1 teaspoon cumin ground
- 1/4 teaspoon black pepper
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne chili powder or Indian red chili powder; or 1/2 teaspoon paprika for mild
- 1 teaspoon garam masala or sambar masala or Berbere
- 1/2 teaspoon salt
- 1 eggplant chopped into 1-1 1/2 inches by 1/2 inch size cubes, or use small eggplants chopped into quarters, large
- 1/2 red onion thinly sliced about 3/4 cup
- 2 cloves garlic minced
- 1/2 inch ginger finely chopped or minced
For the sauce:
- 1 teaspoon neutral cooking oil generic cooking oil
- 1/2 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 1/8 teaspoon fenugreek seeds
- 12 curry leaves fresh or frozen or dried
- 8 ounces tomato puree use unseasoned tomato sauce or purée canned diced tomatoes
- 2 to 2 1/2 cups coconut milk or other creamy non-dairy milk of choice, or use 1 15 ounce can of coconut milk and 1 cup of other non-dairy milk or water
- 1/4 cup red lentils Masoor dal, split
- 1/4 teaspoon salt
- cilantro for garnish
- lemon juice for garnish
Instructions
- Bake the eggplant: To a 9x11 inch or similar sized baking dish, add the oil and add all of the spices and salt and mix well.
- If the spices are getting too clumped up, add splashes of some water or few teaspoons of water so that the mixture is like a thin spice paste.
- Then add eggplants, onion, garlic, and ginger and toss really well to coat. Eggplants will shrink a lot so you need a dish where they are about doubled up in layer.
- Then bake at 400 degrees Fahrenheit (205 degrees Celsius ) for 25-30 minutes.
- Meanwhile, make the tempering with mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds: Heat the oil in a small skillet over medium high heat. Once the oil is hot, add the mustard seeds and fenugreek seeds and cook until the seeds start to pop or change color. Then add the curry leaves and immediately take off heat. Be careful while adding the curry leaves because they will pop and splash a little bit. Keep this tempering aside.
- Remove the baking dish from the oven then add the tomato sauce, coconut milk, lentils, salt, and mix in. Add the tempering of mustard seeds and mix lightly.
- Then return the dish to the oven. Cover with a parchment and continue to bake for 25 minutes or until the lentils are cooked to preference and the sauce has thickened.
- If the sauce has thickened too much, you can gradually add in about 1/2 cup of warm non-dairy milk and mix in. Taste and adjust salt and flavor. Add more salt, spices if needed then mix in.
- Remove the dish from the oven and let it sit for a few minutes. Then garnish with cilantro the lemon juice and serve with rice or flatbread or dosa, or serve with garlic bread as bowl of soup.
- To make this into a soup, you can add in a little bit more non-dairy milk while the curry is still hot so that it gets a bit soupier and then serve with garlic bread.
Notes
- If you cannot find fresh curry leaves, substitute with one bay leaf, one teaspoon coriander, and one teaspoon lime juice for every six curry leaves.
- Fresh curry leaves can be frozen in an airtight container for 8-10 months; use frozen leaves directly in the recipe.
- You can prepare this curry on the stovetop by cooking spices in a skillet followed by the eggplant and onion until golden, then adding the remaining ingredients and cooking until lentils are tender.
- For a milder spice level, use paprika instead of cayenne.
- When using canned tomato products, opt for unseasoned tomato puree or sauce for best control of flavor.
- Eliminating oil is challenging; dry toasting mustard seeds is an option but reduces the depth of flavor.
Nutrition Information
Show DetailsNutrition Facts
Serving: 4Serving
Amount Per Serving
Calories 217 kcal
% Daily Value*
| Calories | 217kcal | 11% |
| Carbohydrates | 25g | 8% |
| Protein | 6g | 12% |
| Fat | 11g | 17% |
| Saturated Fat | 7g | 35% |
| Sodium | 540mg | 23% |
| Potassium | 667mg | 14% |
| Fiber | 9g | 36% |
| Sugar | 8g | 16% |
| Vitamin A | 496IU | 10% |
| Vitamin C | 71mg | 79% |
| Calcium | 53mg | 5% |
| Iron | 3mg | 17% |
* Percent Daily Values are based on a 2,000 calorie diet.
User Reviews
Overall Rating
5
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