No meat Monday… eggplant and silverbeet curry

So it has finally happened. A full winter of eating as much rich, hearty food as I could possibly lay my hands on has taken its toll. That last pork belly I consumed in a style not totally dissimilar to that of Obelix in the stories of the Gaul village withstanding the charge of the mighty Roman army, has finally tipped me over the edge. The bread and pastries I have to sample (consume) in my job as head chef have done what they always promised they would do. That’s right junior detectives, I got fat.

Anyways, I’m not going to get silly about this situation. Sure I’m going to eat less big hearty food and exercise a little more but this isn’t going to be a diet. It’s just… well… I was just a jam and cream croissant, one pock hock and an aboriginal dot-painting tee shirt away from looking like a German tourist at circular quay.

I don’t know about no meat though, so maybe I’m going to need to call this day Minimal Meat Monday… maybe Minimal Meat Weekdays. I know I’m sounding like a pussy right now but bare with me, we may still get a good recipe or two… unless the lack of meat makes my brain melt away.

Less meat and more salad shall be the theory. It’s hit spring now so the weather is being a little more generous with it’s allocation of sunshine and warmth so lighter meals here I come. Even when there is still a little chill in the air something along the lines of a nice vegetable curry is bound to do the trick. This is sort of more of a rice with condiments type thing so make sure you cook your rice properly for effs sake. You know what? I don’t want to hear you whinging about not being able to cook rice right now. I’m feeling like my diet is lacking meat already and to be absolutely honest I’m a little on edge. If you can’t cook rice go down to the local Chinese or Indian restaurant and by some from there. 3 bucks. And get some prawn crackers while you’re at it.

EGGPLANT AND SILVERBEET CURRY

1 eggplant, diced into 1cm-ish cubes

1 bunch silverbeet, sliced, 1cm is good

1 zucchini, diced

1 dried long red chilli

3 cardamon pods, bruised

1 cinnamon quill

1 branch of curry leaf

2 tablespoons tamarind pulp

2 tablespoons sugar

1 cup of stock or water

1 cup yoghurt

salt

paste

2 brown onion, peeled and dice

5 cloves garlic, peeled and diced

1 tablespoon grated ginger

5 coriander roots (and stem is fine), washed and chopped

1 tablespoon each ground cumin, tumeric and paprika

1 teaspoon pepper

1 tablespoon oil to get it moving

• Blitz all ingredients for the paste in a food processor or blender until smooth
• Cook paste with a splash of oil until fragrant and just starting to colour. Add eggplant and cook for 5 minutes. Add all other ingredients except stock and yoghurt and cook out for another 5 minutes. Add stock and simmer, covered for 20 minutes
• Stir through yoghurt, check seasoning and serve

Tomato and cucumber salad, yoghurt, coriander, kasundi, crisp eshallots and flat bread to serve