Eggplant Curry

Easy, peasy curry! It’s not everyday I get to eat Indian food, although I wish it was. I am sad to say, there are not many Indian restaurants where I live. So, sometimes you need to take things into your own hands and make some curry. I’ve always been intimidated by curries but you can’t go wrong with this one. Super easy, one pan Eggplant Curry.

Ingredients:

1 Small Eggplant
1 1/2 c. Coconut Milk
1 tsp. Curry
1/2 tsp. Turmeric
1/2 tsp. Paprika
1 Small Onion
3 Cloves Garlic
2 tbsp. Flour
Salt
Pepper
Cayenne Pepper

Chop three cloves of garlic, and one small onion, and sauté in a frying pan. While the the garlic and onions cook, cut the eggplant into small chucks. Once the onions are translucent, add the eggplant. Season with pepper and a pinch of salt. Place a lid on the pan and allow it to sit for about 15 minutes. Keep an eye on the mixture and remember to occasionally stir.

Once the Eggplant has been completely cooked, add coconut milk (I ended up using a mix of almond milk and coconut milk). After you heat up the milk, add in curry, turmeric, paprika, and a dash of cayenne pepper (totally optional! I love spicy food and tend to make things a little too spicy :-)). Now that all the seasonings are mingling, it’s time to thicken the sauce by adding 2 tablespoons of flour. Once the sauce has thicken, it’s time to eat!

This is great with brown rice, or naan, or just grab a spoon go at it!

Naan Pockets

Being from an Italian family, it’s probably pretty obvious that we ate a lot of Italian food. Then one day I discovered Indian food and my mind was blown! New spices and aromas out the ying yang! It has since become one of my favorite foods. I love the curry, I love the Naan, and I love the spice! I wanted my two delicious worlds to collide. So voila, Indian Calzones! Maybe its more of a Hot Pocket… either way, they are amazing and spicy! I’m about to go eat another.

Ingredients:

1 Sweet Potato
1 Can Chickpeas
1/2 Onion
2 c. Kale
1 c. Water
2 Garlic Cloves
2 tbs. Flour
1/2 tsp. Pepper
1/2 tsp. Garlic Powder
1/4 tsp. Cayenne Pepper
1 tsp. Curry Powder
Pinch of Salt

Below is a naan recipe I’ve been using for years. If it ain’t broke don’t fix it, am I right? Double this naan recipe to have enough dough for all the filling.

http://thekitchenpaper.com/quick-naan-without-yeast/

Begin by chopping the onions and garlic and sautéing them untill they are golden brown. Just before they are about to be done, add the diced sweet potatoes and slightly brown them. Once the potatoes begin to brown, throw in the two cups of kale and one cup of water. Add the seasoning (garlic powder, salt, pepper, cayenne pepper) and cover the pan. Allow it to simmer for fifteen minutes.
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After everything has cooked down, add the can of chickpeas and two tablespoons of flour. Continue to stir until the mixture begins to thicken (Add more water or flour depending on what is needed).
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Preheat the oven to 350 degrees. Prepare the dough. Once the mixture forms a ball, roll out on a floured surface and cut the dough into rectangles. Place a spoon full of potato mixture on one side of the rectangle. Fold the other side over and pinch close. Make sure not to over fill. Place the pockets on a parchment paper covered baking sheet and bake for twenty
minutes.

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