Vij's Eggplant, Tomato and Green Onion Curry

Wow, this sounds simple, right? Right! It definitely is.

I was at a friend's house for dinner over the summer and they served this fabulous, warm (but not too spicy!) and filling vegetable curry. When I asked them where they got the recipe, they told me it was in Vij's cookbook and really only takes 1/2 hour to cook at most. Seriously? How had I missed this when I looked through his book?

So, off I went to try the recipe at home, and indeed it is easy, incredibly tasty and virtually foolproof. A great vegetarian dish, and can be made to be lactose-free by omitting the yogurt portion of the recipe.

My thoughts? YUMMY. It's easy, and seems fancy enough to serve guests. Not only that, but a major bonus is my guy will eat it, even though he's hated eggplant up until now. It's not overcooked so the eggplant remains firm but tender. So I make it often, and am always comforted by the warmth and fabulous flavour. I also find it takes more like 20 minutes from fridge to plate. I hope you enjoy it too!

Here's what it looks like when I make it... I use a wok for this recipe, but it's definitely not needed. I suggest any thick-bottomed pot or pan with a lid that fits:







Try it today. You won't be sorry. :)

Tips, comments:
- omit the yogurt for lactose-free version of eggplant and tomato curry
- I use 6.5% organic yogurt as I like how it thickens the curry
- use organic veggies, especially the tomatoes and eggplant
- don't overcook it or the eggplant will get soggy!
- serve on basmati (try Vij's Cumin basmati if you want something more special)
- give eggplant another chance. Vij makes eggplant tasty!
- add a little less salt if you're watching your salt intake; the other spices carry the dish well
- you can split the amount of oil used in half and still get great results
- enjoy with friends and a nice cool glass of Riesling ;)

Vij's Eggplant, Tomato and Green Onion Curry
Recipe Simplicity: 10/10
Recipe Flavour: 9/10
Adventure: 5/10
Presentation: 7/10
Make it again: YES! Often.

Cooking from Vij's Cookbook

Hello to all of you out there that are interested in the AMAZING food that Vikram Vij and his wife Meeru Dhalwala of Vij's Restaurant in Vancouver make! If you've never been to the restaurant, I can not recommend it strongly enough. It will be a great night with stunning food and beautiful presentation. The menu changes often but is always fantastic. You can visit the restaurant's website here. One of my favourite things about the restaurant (and the book!) is Vij's ability to suggest and pair wine with his recipes. :)

When someone got me Vij's: Elegant and Inspired Indian Cuisine last year for Christmas, I was thrilled. I'd finally get to try to make some of the famous dishes that make my mouth water when I walk into their restaurant. Some of the recipes look daunting, and others quite simple.

So what's the point of this blog? Well, quite simply I've decided that I'd like to try each and every one of the recipes in the book at one point or another, so why not share those experiences with you? I'll use this space to document my adventures in the kitchen... and hopefully it will be enough to convince you to visit his restaurant or pick up his Vij's Indian Cuisine book and experience it yourself!

And no, of course I won't be posting the actual recipes... Vij's cookbook book is well worth picking up! So I'll say what I'm making, post a picture of what my attempt looks like, reviews (from me and whoever is dining with me!) and any other comments I have along the way.

I hope that you enjoy this blog, and feel free to let me know what you think! If you've tried any of the recipes or his restaurant yourself, why not share a tip?