We hope you’ve been enjoying these tasty #KentWellbeingIdeas to get you through lockdown. Today we give you our fourth and final recipe in our Veganuary series – chickpea, aubergine, and spinach curry!
This delicious veggie curry’s a sure-fire winter winner. With golden aubergine, earthy chickpeas, fresh spinach, and a fragrant coconut sauce, this dish is packed with flavour and texture. Plus, it’s really quick and easy to make!
If you’d like to see more recipes from us, please drop us an email at catering@kent.ac.uk. Kent has some brilliant chefs on hand to help create tasty, budget-friendly recipes. Just let us know what you want covered and we’ll get working on it.
In the meantime, keep safe and healthy!
Vegan Chickpea, Aubergine and Spinach Curry
Serves: 4
Ingredients:
• 1½ tbsp vegetable oil
• 1 onion, chopped
• 3 cloves garlic, very finely chopped
• ½ red chilli, deseeded and finely chopped
• 5cm piece root ginger, very finely chopped
• 1 aubergine, chopped into roughly 2cm cubes
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 400g can chick peas, drained and rinsed
• 2 tbsp curry powder
• ½ tbsp ground turmeric
• 400ml coconut milk
• 400g can chopped tomatoes
• 115g baby spinach
• ½ lemon, juice
• 1 tsp ground black pepper
• 2 tbsp toasted flaked almonds (optional)
• crushed chilli flakes (optional)
• naan bread (optional)
Recipe:
1. Prepare the ingredients and have them ready in front of you – it will make cooking much easier.
2. In a large saucepan, heat the vegetable oil over a medium heat until hot. Add the onion, garlic, chilli and ginger. Cook for 5 minutes, stirring regularly.
3. Add the aubergine and soy sauce and cook for 5 minutes, continuing to stir. Add 5 tbsp water and cook for a further 5 minutes. The aubergine should be soft; if it isn’t, cook for a little longer.
4. Add the chickpeas, curry powder, turmeric, coconut milk, chopped tomatoes, spinach, lemon juice and black pepper. Bring to the boil and simmer for 5 minutes, stirring occasionally.
5. Divide between 4 bowls and garnish with the toasted flaked almonds and chilli flakes, if using. Serve with naan bread or rice.
Top tip: You can easily toast flaked almonds in the oven. Heat the oven to 190 C / 170 C fan. Spread the almonds in a single layer on a large baking tray. Toast them for five to 10 minutes, shaking the baking tray a few times to redistribute the almonds so they brown evenly. Pull them from the oven just as they turn golden brown and aromatic. Leave the toasted almonds to fully cool on the tray before transferring to a container.
Did you have a go at this recipe? If yes, high five! Well done you! Why not share your attempt on Instagram and tag us @unikentfood?
And finally, don’t forget the Student Support and Wellbeing team are on hand to support you if you’re experiencing distress arising from psychological, emotional or mental health issues. Visit their website for more information and advice. Alternatively, follow @UniKentSSW on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook for bitesize guidance and information to help you keep calm during lockdown.