Rich Beef and Aubergine Curry

by Fliss Freeborn

This simple curry simmers away in the background while you get on with all the other important jobs. Coat the naans in melted butter, garlic and fresh coriander to enjoy with your curry for a truly fab Indian-inspired feast.

Method

Based on 4 servings, adjust as needed.

Step 1

For the curry, start by cooking the beef mince in a large, heavy-based pan over medium-high heat with a touch of oil before it starts to render out its own fat.

Step 2

While it’s doing this, chop your onions into 1cm dice, and grate the ginger and 4 of the 5 of the garlic cloves (if cooking for 4). When the mince is looking browned, remove it with a slotted spoon to a paper-towel-lined plate, and then fry off the onions with a large pinch of salt in the remaining beef fat (you may need to add more oil, you may not) with a lid, until soft and translucent, adding the ginger and garlic halfway.

Step 3

Chop your aubergines into 1cm dice as everything cooks gently.

Step 4

Add the beef back to the pan, along with the aubergines and the chilli flakes, garam masala and the medium curry powder. Fry everything together until the aubergine is giving up its water and starting to feel soft (it should absorb a lot of the oils and flavour in return, like a sponge). Add the tinned tomatoes, the tomato puree, the lentils (don’t bother draining them) and the beef stock and let everything simmer for 20-30 minutes.

Step 5

Just before serving, melt the butter in the microwave and grate in the remaining garlic. Then stir in around 20g of fresh coriander. Brush over the naans which you could heat in the toasted or in a dry pan. Serve with the curry, lime pickle, mango chutney, and a small bowl of slightly salted yoghurt, if you like.

  • Ingredients
  • Based on 4 servings
  • Maldon Salt, to taste 1x Maldon Sea Salt Flakes 250g
  • 4 tbsp Greek-Style Yoghurt 1x Sainsbury's Greek Style Natural Yogurt 200g
  • 4 Mini Naans 1x Sainsbury's Mini Plain Naan x4 188g
  • 20g Fresh Coriander, to serve (optional) 1x Sainsbury's Fresh Packed Bunch Coriander 30g
  • 1 tbsp Lime Pickle, to serve (optional) 1x Sainsbury's Hot Lime Pickle 200g
  • 2 tbsp Garam Masala 1x Sainsbury's Garam Masala 38g
  • 3 tbsp Medium Curry Powder 1x Sainsbury's Medium Curry Powder, Inspired to Cook 80g
  • 5 Garlic Cloves, grated 1x Sainsbury's Garlic
  • 1 inch Fresh Ginger, peeled and grated 1x Sainsbury's Ginger 100g
  • 1 tbsp Vegetable, as needed 1x Sainsbury's Vegetable Oil 1L
  • 1 tin Green Lentils 1x Sainsbury's Green Lentils In Water 400g (265g*)
  • 1 tin Tomatoes 1x Stamford Street Co. Chopped Tomatoes in Tomato Juice 400g
  • 2 tbsp Tomato Puree 1x Sainsbury's Tomato Puree, Double Concentrate 200g
  • 1 Beef Stock Cube, made with 300ml of boiling water 1x Sainsbury's Stock Cubes, Beef 10x10g
  • 1 Aubergine, diced into 1cm pieces 1x Sainsbury's Aubergine
  • 25g Salted Butter 1x Sainsbury's British Butter, Salted 250g
  • 1 tsp Chilli Flakes 1x Sainsbury's Chipotle Chilli Flakes 45g
  • 1 tbsp Mango Chutney, to serve (optional) 1x Sainsbury's Sweet Mango Chutney 240g
  • 2 Large Onions, diced 2x Sainsbury's Onions Loose
  • 250g Beef Mince 1x Sainsbury's British or Irish 5% Fat Beef Mince 250g
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