Coconut chickpea and aubergine curry
A rich, dairy-free coconut curry with roasted aubergine, chickpeas and courgette — easy weeknight comfort with bright lime and coriander.
This dairy-free curry leans on full-fat coconut milk for comforting creaminess and roasted aubergine for meaty texture. It’s a brilliant weeknight supper — warming spices, low fuss, big flavour.
Make it vegan-friendly, pack it for leftovers, or serve with steamed basmati rice for a proper, filling meal. The aubergine step is worth the extra time — it gives the dish heft and caramelised notes that lift the sauce.
Ingredients
- 1 aubergine — about 350 g, cut into 2 cm cubes
- 400 g tinned chickpeas — drained weight about 240 g
- 1 brown onion — large, finely chopped
- 3 garlic cloves — finely sliced
- 25 g fresh ginger — peeled and finely grated
- 45 ml rapeseed oil
- 30 ml curry powder
- 5 ml ground cumin
- 5 ml turmeric
- 5 ml smoked paprika
- 5 ml chilli powder — optional
- 400 g tinned chopped tomatoes
- 400 ml coconut milk — full fat gives best creaminess
- 250 ml vegetable stock — low-salt if possible
- 1 courgette — medium, sliced into half-moons
- 1 red pepper — seeds removed, chopped
- 5 ml sea salt — plus extra to taste
- black pepper — freshly ground, to taste
- 5 ml light brown sugar
- 20 g fresh coriander — roughly chopped, to finish
- 1 lime — juice to finish
Instructions
Put the aubergine cubes in a bowl, toss with 1 tsp sea salt and 1 tbsp rapeseed oil. Leave to rest so they draw out moisture.
Meanwhile, chop the brown onion and red pepper, slice the courgette, finely slice the garlic and grate the fresh ginger.
Heat 1 tbsp rapeseed oil in a frying pan over a medium-high hob. Fry the aubergine in batches without overcrowding until golden and tender, about 6–8 minutes per batch. Transfer to a plate.
In a large saucepan, heat the remaining 1 tbsp rapeseed oil over medium heat. Add the brown onion and 1 tbsp curry powder and cook, stirring, for 5–6 minutes until the onion softens.
Add the garlic cloves, fresh ginger, ground cumin, turmeric, smoked paprika and chilli powder. Cook for 1–2 minutes until fragrant.
Stir in the tinned chopped tomatoes, vegetable stock and light brown sugar. Add the tinned chickpeas and bring to a gentle simmer. Cook uncovered for 10 minutes to allow the sauce to thicken.
Reduce the heat, stir in the coconut milk, courgette and red pepper, then add the fried aubergine. Simmer gently for 8–10 minutes until the courgette is tender and the sauce is glossy.
Season with sea salt and black pepper to taste. Squeeze in the lime juice and stir through most of the fresh coriander, reserving a little to garnish.
Ladle the curry into bowls and finish with the remaining fresh coriander. Serve immediately with steamed rice or flatbreads if you like.
Tips
- Salting the aubergine and leaving it for 30 minutes draws out moisture and concentrates flavour — don’t skip this if you want good texture.
- Fry aubergine in batches so pieces brown rather than steam; keep cooked ones on kitchen paper to drain any excess oil.
- If the sauce tastes flat, a small squeeze of lime at the end brightens all the spices.
- Make ahead: the curry keeps well refrigerated for 3 days and the flavours deepen overnight — reheat gently on the hob.
- To freeze: cool fully, portion into airtight containers and freeze for up to 2 months. Defrost overnight in the fridge before reheating.
Substitutions
coconut milk → unsweetened oat cream 250 ml plus 100 ml vegetable stock
Noticeably differenttinned chickpeas → firm tofu 400 g, pressed and cubed
Stays closerapeseed oil → neutral vegetable oil 3 tbsp
Stays close
Nutrition
Per serving · estimated
- 455
- Calories
- 8 g
- Protein
- 24 g
- Carbs
- 36 g
- Fat
- 6 g
- Fibre
- 5 g
- Sugar
- 650 mg
- Sodium
FAQ
Can I make this nut-free?
Yes — the recipe contains no nuts. Note that some with coconut allergy may still react; substitute coconut milk with the oat-cream option in substitutions if needed (it changes the flavour).
Can I use dried chickpeas instead of tinned?
Yes — soak and cook dried chickpeas until tender (about 8–10 hours soak, then 1–1½ hours simmer). Use about 240 g cooked chickpeas to replace one 400 g tin.
How spicy is this and can I adjust it?
This is mildly spiced. Increase chilli powder or add fresh chopped chilli with the garlic for more heat, or reduce chilli powder to make it milder.
Can I skip frying the aubergine and roast it instead?
Yes — roast aubergine cubes at 220°C fan/240°C conventional for 20–25 minutes with a drizzle of oil until golden. Roasting is less hands-on but still gives good caramelisation.
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