Mumbai vegan curry

This was a recipe we picked up after a mass cycle through Tallinn a few years ago. It is very tasty and quite simple to make. And, of course, offers a bunch of your five a day.

Should serve 2

Ingredients:
Half a medium aubergine/brinjal/eggplant
Mustard seeds
Lime leaves
1 Onion
Curry leaves (if available, not essential though)
Dried coriander
Chillies, to taste
100ml coconut milk
1 medium tomato
Vegetable stock, as needed (probably good to make half a litre and then play it by ear, but you probably won't need more than about 200ml)
100g chickpeas

Slice the aubergine up, season it, and roast in the oven. In a medium-sized pot, roast the mustard seeds and lime leaves for a minute or so, and then fry with the onion. Add the chilli and remaining spices. Add in the coconut milk, tomato, and stock, then bring to the boil and simmer. Once the sauce has thickened somewhat, add in the chickpeas and aubergine. Cook until ready and then serve with rice and fresh coriander on top.

Ema Datshi (Bhutanese Chilli Stew)

This is a traditional Bhutanese dish, made from chillies and cheese, with some tomatoes and onions thrown in for good measure. Due to the lack of authentic Bhutanese ingredients in Tallinn, I used some other stuff. Due to its ingredients, it can be hellishly hot, so if you do not like spicy stuff, deseed the chillies. Also, if you do decide to take the seeds out, I strongly recommend wearing gloves. Seeding a quarter kilo of chillies means that the stuff gets under your nails, and it burns for a long time after...

Anyway, here's the recipe. Good, strong, healthy, put hairs on your chest etc. Eat with rice and naan.

Ema Datshi

250g chillies (variety according to taste. The original recipe called for jalapenos, I used rohelised tsilid from the supermarket)
1 1/2 cups of water
1 big onion, diced
2 tbsp vegetable oil
2 big tomatoes, diced
5 cloves of garlic, finely diced
about 250g feta or some other white cheese (plus extra on the side)
Coriander

Wash and chop up the chillies. Deseed if desired. Put the chillies, onions, water, and oil in a pot. Bring to the boil and simmer uncovered for about 10 min. Add the tomatoes and garlic and simmer for 3 more min. Add the cheese, mix, and simmer for 3 min more. Take off the heat, add the coriander, let sit for a few minutes covered before serving. Serve with rice and naan, and something to take away the burning if needed (raitha, milk, yoghurt etc).

I have also discovered that, with a touch of ginger, and a can (400ml) of beans, the taste is multiplied severalfold. So instead of just having spice, you have taste too!