Tomato, Eggplant & Chickpea Curry

If you have an abundance of tomatoes like me at this time of year and you want to use all of that lycopene rich goodness before the season runs out, this curry is a delicious way to do it.

Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that offers protection againist free-radical damage in the body. Research has associated a high lycopene intake with lower rates of prostate cancer in men. Interestingly, lycopene is found in higher amounts in cooked tomatoes compared to their raw counterparts. It is also more readily available to the body for absorption if the tomatoes have been cooked. Given that lycopene is fat-slouble, more of it's benefits will be available to the body if it's enjoyed as part of a meal containing some healthy fat or oil. This curry recipe ticks both of these boxes as the tomatoes are both cooked and consumed with a little healthy oil in the form of good quality olive oil.

I saw this recipe (a Martin Bosley creation) in the KiaOra magazine on an Air New Zealand flight but I have adpated it slightly by adding chickpeas for protein and swapping out a few spices. The result, a beautifully fragrant healthy Indian curry that I will make over and over again.

Like all curries, the flavour gets better with age so make extra and enjoy it for lunch the following day.

Serves 4

1 onion, finely chopped
Olive oil
Iodised coarse sea salt
Freshly ground black pepper
1 tsp ground coriander
1 tsp cinnamon
2 tsp black mustard seeds
1 tsp ground turmeric
2 tsp yellow mustard seeds
Pinch of chilli flakes - optional
5 large tomatoes
4 cloves garlic, peeled
Knob ginger, peeled and roughly chopped
1 medium eggplant
1 can chickpeas, drained
1 Tbspn tomato paste
1/2 cup water
Handful coriander leaves
100g thick Greek natural yoghurt
Brown rice and crunchy poppadoms to serve

Heat 2 Tbspn of oil over a medium heat in a deep pan or saucepan. Add the onion and a pinch of salt and stir regularly, cooking slowly until pale and golden.
Add the remaining spices and cook, stirring until fragrant.
Place the tomatoes, garlic and ginger into a food processor and blitz until you have a thick puree. Pour this mixture onto the onion spice mix, stir and bring to a gentle simmer.
Slice the eggplant in half lengthways, then in half again and cut into smallish chunks.
Warm a second pan, add 1 Tbspn of olive oil and saute the eggplant until soft and lightly coloured on all sides. Add the eggplant to the tomato mixture along with the canned chickpeas, tomato paste and just enough water. You don't want to add too much water - the curry should be really thick.
Simmer for approximately 20 minutes until thick, adding any extra water if needed. Check the seasoning before serving and add extra salt and/or pepper if needed.
Chop the coriander leaves and stir into the yoghurt. Pour the curry into serving bowls and top with a dollop of the coriander yoghurt. Serve with brown rice and crunchy poppadoms.