Experiments in Taste #3: Potato and Aubergine Madras

As you may be aware if you’ve read about my Anthropocene Hymnal project, I am trying to do my bit to reduce my carbon footprint and raise awareness of the climate crisis. One simple way to reduce your carbon footprint is to eat less meat. I’ve swapped my usual diet for a mainly vegetarian diet with some vegan dishes. I have noticed straightaway that I feel much more energised and healthy after eating a vegan meal! For me, adding spice to vegetable dishes is a great way to make them more exciting, so I altered my usual beef madras recipe to make this delicious and healthy version with aubergine and potato.

Ingredients

• 2 large onions, roughly chopped.
• 3-4 large cloves garlic, roughly chopped, and 2 cloves finely minced.
• 2.5cm piece ginger, roughly chopped.
• 3-4 dried red chillis.
• 2 large green chillis, chopped.
• 800g tinned chopped tomatoes.
• 2 tsp ground coriander.
• 2 tsp ground cumin.
• 1 tsp ground tumeric.
• 1-2 tsp chilli powder.
• 1 medium-size aubergine, cut into cubes (mix with lemon juice after cutting to prevent browning).
• 3-4 medium potatoes, cut into cubes.
• Olive oil or sunflower oil for frying.
• 1 tsp salt.
• Freshly chopped coriander (cilantro), fresh lemon juice and garam masala to serve.

Method

• In a large saucepan, heat 1-2 tbsp of oil and fry the onions, roughly chopped garlic, ginger and dried chillis over a medium heat.
• Remove the onion mixture from the heat and set aside to cool.
• In the same pan, adding a little more oil if nescessary, fry the finely minced garlic and fresh chillis. Add a little of the chopped tomatoes and stir together for 1 minute. Add the dry spices and mix over a gentle heat to form a paste.
• Add the potatoes and aubergine to the spice paste and stir until coated. Add the remainder of the tomatoes and 1-2 cans of water (use the tomato cans to measure and capture any remaining tomato mixture), then bring to the boil and reduce to a simmer.
• Use a stick blender or jug blender to pulse together the onion mixture until smoothly blended. You may need to add a little water to the mixture.
• Add the onion mixture to the aubergine and potato mixture and mix together thoroughly. Cook over a medium heat for 15-20 minutes until the potato and aubergine are cooked through.
• Remove from the heat and add salt, lemon juice and garam masala to taste. Serve with plenty of fresh coriander.