Eggplant Curry with Cucumber Mint Raita
Eggplant Curry with Cucumber Mint Raita- roasted eggplant tossed with tomatoes and spices and served with a minty cucumber lime yogurt sauce. (vegan + gluten-free)
I know what you’re thinking…curry in August?! You must be crazy.
Maybe I am or maybe some of you actually crave curry when it’s warm outside. Only time will tell.
I will say that there is a nice balance to this recipe thanks to the cucumber mint raita. Which, if you’ve never heard of it before, is a condiment originating in India made with yogurt. The hydrating cucumber and refreshing mint flavor gives the curry a lighter feel that makes it more appropriate for summertime.
The only caveat is that you have to turn on your oven to roast the eggplant. I like to do it this way because the eggplant caramelizes with deliciousness without getting a mushy texture. It’s worth heating up the kitchen for, trust me.
While that’s roasting, the curry gets made on the stovetop by toasting spices like mustard seeds, cumin, coriander, curry and a touch of cayenne. Sounds like a lot but if you have a well stocked spice cabinet then you should be good to go.
From there a splash of water is added to create an oil-free base for cooking the onion, ginger and garlic. Once those have sautéed in the spices, crushed tomatoes, chickpeas and the roasted eggplant are stirred in so that they can stew for a minutes in all of that flavorful goodness.
The lengthy ingredient list might make it seem like a lot but overall it comes together pretty easy. You can prep the raita the day before to help save time.
Also, I used coconut oil to roast the eggplant because I like the flavor it adds to the dish but you can use whatever high heat oil you have on hand, or try roasting it dry if you try to avoid oil. Just be wary of how long you cook it for as it will burn faster!
Eggplant Curry with Cucumber Mint Raita
Yield: 4 servings
Prep Time: 15
Cook Time: 45
Total Time: 1 hour

Ingredients:
For the Eggplant Curry
- 1 large eggplant, cut into 1-inch cubes (about 5 cups)
- 2 tablespoons unrefined coconut oil
- 1 teaspoon mustard seeds
- 2 teaspoons cumin
- 1 teaspoon coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon curry
- 1/4 teaspoon cayenne
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
- 1 cup finely chopped onion (about 1 small onion)
- 1 tablespoon minced garlic (about 3-4 cloves)
- 1 tablespoon minced fresh ginger (about 2-inches)
- 2 (15-ounce) cans crushed or diced tomatoes (I used one of each)
- 1 (15-ounce) can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 16 ounces basmati rice
Cucumber Mint Raita
- 1 medium cucumber, seeded and finely chopped (about 3/4 cup)
- 12 ounces plain non-dairy yogurt
- zest and juice of 1 small lime
- 1/4 cup finely chopped fresh mint
- 1/4 teaspoon fine sea salt
Directions:
Preheat the oven to 400°F then line a baking sheet with a silicone mat or parchment paper. Add the eggplant to a large bowl then drizzle with coconut oil and toss until evenly coated. Spread out on the baking sheet and roast in the oven until softened and light golden brown, about 30 minutes, stirring half way through.
Meanwhile prepare the raita by combining all of the ingredients in a medium size bowl. Cover and place in the refrigerator while you prepare the curry.
Warm a large skillet over medium heat then add the mustard seeds, cumin, coriander, curry and cayenne. Toast for about 2 minutes, until fragrant. Pour in 1/2 cup water (carefully, if the pan is too hot the water will boil and splatter) then add the onion, garlic and ginger along with 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes.
Pour the cans of tomatoes with their juices in the skillet. Once the eggplant is done roasting add it along with the chickpeas to the skillet. Stir to combine and cook until heated through. Serve warm with basmati rice and cucumber lime raita, and enjoy!
Did you try this recipe? Please let me know how it turned out by leaving a comment below or sharing a picture on Instagram with the hashtag #makingthymeforhealth. I love hearing your feedback!
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I’ve been suuuuuuper into curry lately, regardless of the heat! Eggplant curry has been a long time favorite of mine – in fact, Indian eggplant curry was what turned me on to Indian food! I’m loving the idea of roasting the eggplant for the caramlization effect….soooo much flavaaaaaaah!!!
I’m SO on board with curry, anytime of year. And why not? There’s so many in season veggies right now and it’s perfect for making curries! I love how you’ve tempered the spices here, and built your layers of flavors. I absolutely love the smoky flavor of roasted eggplant… they should be making an appearance at the market soon (all heart eyes!). Delicious work, Sarah!
Girl I’m so with you — I totally crave curry in the summertime too! I am especially in love with eggplant recently too, so this is definitely going on my list!
I tried this tonight and it was great. Definitely had the heat. I always feel like I fail at cooking eggplant but maybe it’s just that I don’t really like it. Can you recommend any good substitutes for the eggplant? I was thinking carrots or curly kale but I don’t know.
I feel the same way about eggplant. It’s not my favorite but I tried to make it enjoyable with this dish. I think both carrots and kale would make a delicious substitute!
I made a very similar dish at home, it’s always so good!
I made this for dinner tonight, and it was delicious!! To be perfectly honest, it was my first time following a vegan recipe, and I was very pleasantly surprised. The recipe was easy to follow along, and I particularly enjoyed reading the descriptions Sarah provided before starting to cook the dish. I think I will cook eggplant this way more often! It was good straight out of the oven! The cucumber Raita was amazing too. I might tinker with it a bit to make it into a salad dressing! Thank you for the recipe. I thoroughly enjoyed dinner today.
That is a huge compliment! Thank you so much, Esther! :)
Tried this recipe tonight and it is delicious!! I didn’t even make the raita, it has enough flavor! Will be making this again!
I’m happy to hear you liked it. Thanks Jessica!
I made this today and it turned out great! The taste is so good! The eggplant turned out beautifully and really made the whole dish delicious! I love this dish and will make it again and again!
I’m so glad to hear that, Deborah! Thank you!
I made this tonight for dinner. I used roasted cauliflower instead of chickpeas and served it with coconut rice. It was delicious!
Awesome! Thank you so much for the review, Rachel!