My wife came home from a farmer’s market the other day with an Eggplant, and she challenged me to make it into something that didn’t resemble eggplant. For this particular iteration, we wanted to roast the eggplant to unleash its nutty flavour notes before turning that into a sauce. Since we made Spicy Lentil and Eggplant Curry a little while back, we knew that eggplant pairs very well with some traditional Indian flavours, so that’s the route we opted to go with our roasted eggplant. We chose to serve our sauce with chicken, but if you prefer something of a more vegetarian flare, lentils, chickpeas, or even paneer would be good substitutes for the chicken.
We served our entree over seasoned rice with homemade Veggie Samosas.
Time: 60 Minutes (although you can cut out some time by prepping your sauce a day before)
Ingredients:
- For your Sauce:
- An Eggplant
- A cup of Raw Cashews
- A jar/can of stewed diced tomatoes. (Or use Home Canned Tomatoes!)
- Onion
- Garlic
- Chicken Breast
- Garam Masala
- Any hot chili powder or red pepper flakes if you like it spicy. We used cayenne.
- Heavy Cream or Coconut Milk depending on the flavour you’re going for.
Method:
- Preheat your oven to 350 degrees F, and line a baking sheet with foil. Give the foil a quick oil spray.
- Dice your eggplant, spread it over your baking sheet, and spray it lightly with oil. Then, stash in your oven for about 35 minutes.
- Boil your cashews until they soften, and then drain and set aside.
- As your eggplant cooks, dice your onion, garlic, and chicken.
- Melt some butter in a large pan, and add your onions, garlic, and spices.
- When your onions become opaque, add your chicken, and cook until it’s browned on all sides.
- When your eggplant finishes roasting, remove from the oven, and pour into the bowl of your food processor along with your cashews and tomatoes. Puree.
- When your chicken is browned, add your pureed eggplant sauce to your pan, and stir to combine. Allow to cook for a few more minutes.
- Pour in your cream, and stir to combine. Bring to a low simmer, and cook to thicken to your liking. Add more spices as necessary.
- Plate, devour, and enjoy!
