Joanna Lumley’s Aubergine Kuzi Recipe

This Joanna Lumley’s Aubergine Kuzi is a rich and fragrant recipe, which is made with roasted aubergine and a homemade kuzi masala paste. It’s a great vegetarian curry, ready in about 1 hour and 20 minutes.

Joanna Lumley’s Aubergine Kuzi Ingredients

For the Kuzi Masala Paste:

• 2 shallots
• 2 cloves of garlic
• 2 tablespoons paprika
• 2 tablespoons tomato purée
• 1 tablespoon ground coriander
• 1 teaspoon ground anise seed (or 1 star anise, crushed)
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 4 tablespoons ground almonds

For the Kuzi:

• 1kg mixed aubergines (eggplants)
• olive oil
• 5cm piece of ginger
• 5 shallots
• 5 cloves of garlic
• 1 tablespoon coconut oil
• 2 tablespoons brown sugar
• 1 organic vegetable stock cube
• 2 tablespoons natural yoghurt
• 20g sultanas
• 50g flaked almonds
• 2 fresh red chillies

How To Make Joanna Lumley’s Aubergine Kuzi

1. Roast the Aubergines: Preheat the oven to 350°F (180°C). Trim the aubergines, quartering any larger ones. Toss them in a roasting tray with a drizzle of olive oil, sea salt, and black pepper. Roast for 40 minutes, or until softened and golden.
2. Make the Masala Paste: While the aubergines roast, make the paste. Peel the shallots and garlic, then place them in a food processor with all the other paste ingredients (paprika, tomato purée, coriander, anise, cumin, and ground almonds) and blitz until it forms a paste.
3. Sauté the Aromatics: Peel the ginger and finely slice it into matchsticks. Peel and finely slice the shallots and garlic. Heat the coconut oil in a large frying pan over a medium heat and fry the ginger, shallots, and garlic for 10 minutes until softened and golden.
4. Cook the Curry: Stir the masala paste into the pan and fry for another 3 to 5 minutes until it smells fragrant. Pour in 500ml of water, add the brown sugar, and crumble in the stock cube. Bring to a boil, then add the roasted aubergine.
5. Simmer and Finish: Reduce the heat to low and simmer for 20 minutes, or until the sauce has thickened. Remove the pan from the heat and stir through the natural yoghurt.
6. Garnish and Serve: In a dry pan, toast the sultanas and then the flaked almonds until golden. Deseed and finely slice the chillies. Scatter the toasted sultanas, almonds, and fresh chilli over the kuzi before serving.

Recipe Tips

• How to get the best flavour from the paste? Frying the blitzed masala paste for a few minutes after the aromatics is a crucial step. It “blooms” the spices, deepening their flavour and making the whole dish more fragrant.
• Can I make the masala paste ahead of time? Yes, the paste can be made up to 3 days in advance and stored in an airtight container in the refrigerator. This can make the final cooking process much quicker.
• How to prevent the yoghurt from splitting? It’s very important to remove the pan from the heat before stirring in the yoghurt. The residual heat will warm it through without the risk of it curdling.
• Can I add other vegetables? Yes, chunks of sweet potato or butternut squash could be roasted along with the aubergine for an even heartier dish.

What To Serve With Aubergine Kuzi

This rich and fragrant curry is a complete meal, but it is traditionally served with South Indian accompaniments:

• Roti Jala: Also known as “lace crêpes,” these are thin, net-like pancakes perfect for soaking up the sauce.
• Pineapple Relish (Pachadi): A sweet and tangy relish that provides a refreshing contrast to the rich curry.
• Plain steamed rice is also an excellent choice.

How To Store Aubergine Kuzi

• Refrigerate: Let the kuzi cool completely, then store it in an airtight container in the refrigerator for up to 3 days. The flavours will be even better the next day.
• Reheating: Reheat gently in a pan over a low heat. Avoid boiling it, as this can cause the yoghurt to split.
• Freeze: It’s best not to freeze this dish after the yoghurt has been added, as dairy can separate upon thawing.

Joanna Lumley’s Aubergine Kuzi Nutrition Facts

• Calories: 400-500 kcal
• Fat: 25g
• Carbohydrates: 35g
• Protein: 10g

Nutrition information is estimated and may vary based on ingredients and cooking methods used.

FAQs

Try More Recipes:

• Claudio’s Aubergine Parmigiana Recipe
• Sticky Teriyaki Aubergine Recipe
• Miso-grilled Aubergine & Cucumber Pickle Rice Bowl Recipe