Eggplant with curried yoghurt and caramelised onions

 My wonderful friend Margy told me I must try this sublime recipe from Yotam Ottolenghi's cookbook "Simple"  - delicious, flavoursome and very easy - the combination of lime juice, yoghurt and curry powder is so clever -  even better topped with caramelised onions and crunchy flaked almonds. Thank you Margy for the recommendation - I love friends suggesting their tested recipes - and Wilbur thought it was delicous too!  Enjoy!  Colleen

Preparation       20 minutes 

Cooking             40 minutes in oven.  Stove top approx 15 minutes

Serves                2 - 4   see note below

I used 1 eggplant for 2 people, see note below,    but made the full amount of curry yoghurt and caramelised onions -  leftovers were so delicious you could refrigerate and serve over something else later in the week

Ingredients

1 - 3 large eggplants   (I used  1 - wide heavy, 10 inch eggplant -  enough for 2 people)
olive oil

Salt and Pepper

1/2 cup flaked almonds 

1 cup greek yoghurt

2 teaspoons curry powder NB  use 1 teaspoon  THEN 1 more teaspoon

1/4 teaspoon ground turmeric

1 lime - zest and juice

1 very large onion - I used red but brown would be good too  - finely sliced, half moons.

Option - I clove of slow roasted garlic  - I had some I had made previously

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin
1/4 teaspoon ground coriander

Salt and pepper - optional

Garnish  - pomegranate seeds,   coriander or parsley leaves or sliced shallots

To serve Options - lettuce leaves,  oven roasted tomato, spoonful cooked brown rice and a slow roasted tomato on the side.

Method

Preheat oven to 180 - 200 ℃  I found 180 was fine

and prepare 2 large oven trays with baking paper ready to bake the eggplant rounds.

Peel strips off the eggplant skin lengthways about 1cm apart (roughly)

Use a large bowl and add the cut up ,approx 1 inch round, slices of the eggplant

drizzle with some olive oil and a little salt and pepper.  Use your hands to ensure the slices are coated with some oil.

Spread the circles onto the lined trays and bake approx 35 - 40 minutes.

When cooked, eggplant will be soft inside.  Remove from oven and set aside ready to assemble.

While the eggplant is baking:

yoghurt dressing

In a small bowl or measuring cup mix  1 Teaspoon of curry powder with the lime juice and check no lumps

Add the zest and yoghurt, a little salt and pepper (optional) and combine well. refrigerate until needed.  Bring out of fridge about 10 minutes before using.

Flaked almonds

Dry roast the almonds in a dry frying pan until begin to become a little golden.  Remove from pan and set aside.

Caramelised onions:

Use the same pan.  Warm a little oil then add the sliced onions over medium high heat.  Saute and stir regularly, reducing heat if needed,  until become golden and caramelised.  Approx 10 minutes or so.

Then add the optional garlic clove, 1 Teaspoon curry powder , ground cumin and coriander and the flaked almonds . Fry  approx 2 - 5 minutes until everything is golden and fragrant.  

Remove from heat.

Assemble

Serving option : I used lettuce leaves on the base with a spoonful of cooked brown rice 

then

whilst eggplant still warm - 

Place the cooked eggplant discs on plate in overlapping layers (I think 3 is enough per person - 4 if really hungry)

Spoon some of the curry yoghurt over the eggplant.  (I used a bit much in the photo!)

Then top with some of the caramelised onions and almonds.

Garnish with optional pomegranate seeds and herb leaves

Any remaining yoghurt or caramelised onions could be refrigerated and  used with other roast veggies etc later in the week.    Thanks Yotam and thank you Margy!      Enjoy!  Colleen