Eggplant & Tofu Curry

Wow ! This is my favorite use of eggplant to date (except those Vegetable Towers were awfully good). I've never been a huge fan of eggplant (aubergine), but perhaps I just wasn't using enough garlic.

Anyway, this is the first time I've salted the eggplant slices and let them sit for an hour in a colander before rinsing and patting them dry. And, heck, the eggplant plumped when I sauted it in a modest amount of olive oil with lots of minced garlic. Supposedly, the salting helps prevent the thirsty eggplant from absorbing too much oil. I have to say the juicy texture was perfect for this curry.

The eggplant was joined by tofu, cauliflower, red pepper, white beans, cilantro and cashews in Trader Joe's Korma Simmer Sauce. I served it with Naan (from the Trader Joe's freezer), raita (plain yogurt with grated cucumber), and cilantro chutney (made by a local vendor). So good!

Eggplant & Tofu Curry:
1 large eggplant, sliced into 1/4" rounds
salt
2 tbsp olive oil
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 large pinch of cumin seeds
pinch of coriander seeds
1 red pepper, chopped into 1/2" slices
1 cup cauliflower, cut into small florettes
1 jar TJ's Korma Simmer Sauce
4 oz tofu, cubed
1/2 cup white beans (red kidney beans would be great too or chickpeas)
handful of cashews
small bunch cilantro leaves, chopped


Salt the eggplant slices and place in a colander. Leave for 1 hour. Gently rinse and pat dry. Cut into 1" pieces.

Heat the olive oil and add the minced garlic. Cook gently for 1-2 minutes. Add the cumin and coriander seeds. Cook 1 minute. Add the eggplant, cover, and cook for 5 minutes, stirring as needed to prevent sticking. Add the red pepper and cauliflower, stir well, cover and cook for another 5 minutes. Add the Korma Simmer Sauce and tofu and simmer for 10 minutes until the eggplant is tender. Add the beans and cashews for the last 5 minutes of cooking. Add the chopped cilantro for the last 2 minutes of cooking.

Serve with naan or over rice.