Vegetable Rogan Josh -

Vegetable Rogan Josh

Packed with flavour this Vegetable Rogan Josh is a vegetarian version of the classic dish. This rich and fragrant curry with aubergine and chickpeas is ready in under an hour, low in calories and it really hits the spot!

Course Dinner

Cuisine Vegetarian

Prep Time 10

Cook Time 40

Servings

Calories 213kcal

Author Michelle Alston

Equipment

Large saute pan with a tight-fitting lid.

Ingredients

2 tablespoon olive oil you can also use vegetable oil if you prefer
1 medium brown onion peeled, cut in half lengthways then sliced thinly
½ tsp sea salt divided
10 green cardamom pods
2 teaspoon cumin seeds
½ teaspoon fennel seeds
1 5cm piece of fresh ginger peeled and finely grated.
4 cloves of garlic minced
2 teaspoon paprika
2 teaspoon ground coriander
½ teaspoon garam masala
½ scant tsp dried red chilli flakes
1 tablespoon tomato purée (paste)
1 large aubergine cut into bitesize pieces
1 large green bell pepper pith and seeds removed then chopped into large pieces
150 g / ½ a cup low-fat natural plain yoghurt + more for serving
1 400g / 14.5 oz can of chopped(diced) tomatoes
100 ml / 1 cup water divided into 2 equal portions
1 400g / 15oz can of cooked chickpeas 240g drained weight
1 cinnamon stick
2 dried bay leaves
a handful of fresh coriander(cilantro) chopped + more for serving
chapati for serving

Instructions

Heat the oil in a large sauté pan. Add the onion, ¼ teaspoon of salt, 10 green cardamom pods, 10 black peppercorns, 2 teaspoons of cumin seeds and ½ teaspoon of fennel seeds.
Cook over a low to medium heat until the onion is translucent and soft, stirring often so the onions don't burn.
Once the cardamom pods are soft pop them open using a wooden spoon to release the seeds within. Remove the pod shells.
Add 4 minced cloves of garlic, a 5cm piece of ginger that has been finely grated and ½ a teaspoon of dried red chilli flakes. Cook until they release their aromas,
Next, add the spices. Add 2 teaspoons of ground coriander, 2 teaspoons of paprika and ½ a teaspoon of garam masala. Stir and cook for a minute until they release their aromas too.
Add a tablespoon of tomato purée and pour in 50 ml of water, stir well.
Add the chopped aubergine and green pepper to the pan and stir well until the vegetables are covered in the spice mixture.
Remove the pan from the heat.
Slowly start adding the yoghurt, stirring until the yoghurt is fully incorporated into the spice mixture.
Return the pan to the heat then pour in the tomatoes, stir in 50 ml of water and the drained chickpeas.
Add one stick of cinnamon and two dried bay leaves to the pan. Cover with a tight-fitting lid and simmer for 10 minutes.
Remove the lid and simmer uncovered for another 10 to 15 minutes. The aubergine should be soft and the sauce should be thick and creamy.
Stir in the chopped coriander.
Leave to cool slightly then serve with a dollop of yoghurt some chopped coriander and chapati.

Notes

Chickpeas - I use canned cooked chickpeas for this recipe but you can also use dried chickpeas if you prefer. You will need to soak and cook them first.
Heat - this curry is a medium heat curry, You can reduce the heat if you wish by reducing the red chilli flakes to a small pinch. If you are serving this to young children then I would recommend doing this. I would also recommend omitting the whole peppercorns and replace then with ¼ teaspoon of ground black pepper. Add that at the same time as you add the dry spices.
Spices - instead of using all the spices listed you can use half a jar of Patak's Rogan Josh Paste instead. Follow the instructions on the jar.
Storing/freezing/reheating - this curry will keep in the fridge for up to 3 days. Reheat it on the hob, you may need to add a little water to loosen it up. You can freeze this curry but I recommend not adding the yoghurt if you wish to freeze it. You can add the yoghurt when you reheat the curry. Leave the curry to cook before freezing, transfer to a freezer-friendly container and use within 3 months. Thaw overnight in the fridge and reheat on the hob adding the yoghurt once hot.
Nutrition information -is approximate and is calculated using an online nutrition tool. It is based on a serving of one and does not include chapati.

Nutrition