Aubergine and Champignon Curry

So here is how this came to be. I’m a day away from switching houses and still hanging out in my fridge are two shiny aubergine and a bag full of fresh mushrooms. Funny enough they are sharing the shelf space with half a can of coconut milk. I don’t know if you see a curry in the works but I sure did. Add to that combination of ingredients the fact that it’s the coldest day yet in Foix, with a grey relentless drizzle and snow dusting the mountaintops. Something warm and fragrant sounds heavenly. So let’s do this.

Ingredients

• 1 large or 2 medium aubergine (eggplant), cut into 1” cubes, lightly salted and left to drain in a colander
• 1 medium sized onion, peeled and finely diced
• 12 whole champignon (mushrooms) wiped clean with a cloth and cut into quarters
• 1 cup of frozen peas, thawed on the counter
• Coconut oil
• A can of coconut milk
• 1 tsp cumin
• 1 tsp coriander
• 2 tsp of curcumin
• A nub of ginger finely grated
• Pinches of cayenne to taste
• Salt to taste

Prepare

In a deep skillet heat a few teaspoons of oil, toss in the onions and all the spices but the ginger. Saute on medium until onion is tender and spices are fragrant. Add aubergine, mixing well with spices. Consider putting the lid on and lowering the head to let them cook through, they will be tender and begin to lose their shape. Remove from pan and set aside. In the same skillet add a bit more oil and saute mushrooms, lower heat, cover until they have cooked through. Add coconut milk, grated ginger, and spiced aubergine mixture simmering for a few minutes to blend the flavors. Add salt to taste.

Serve with basmati rice steamed with a cinnamon stick.

Enjoy!

Note: Please feel free to ad-lib on these spices. I used what I had acquired during my stay but you could certainly go more traditional with curry leaves and a chopped fresh pepper.