Eggplant Curry with Plenty of Plant Protein

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All right, the holidays are officially over.

We're back to regular, 7-day weeks—and somehow, we need to feed ourselves every single day.

Every few days, I like to batch-cook meals, pack them into containers, and stash them in the fridge for the week. Or at least for the next 3–4 days.

One of my favorite ways to do that is a simple rice-and-lentil dish, like this filling, nourishing, seriously tasty eggplant curry.

Fair warning: everyone at the office might ask for the recipe. You know where to send them…

This eggplant curry is gently spiced—some might call it Ashkenazi-style (a little Jewish joke about keeping the heat low). It's the kind of curry you can comfortably eat around other people, without going overboard on spice or feeling desperately thirsty or uncomfortable afterward.

It delivers a solid amount of amino acids from several sources: rice, peas, and lentils. It's also high in fiber, and the rice-and-legume base is naturally gluten-free.

Together, those ingredients help keep you full and fueled through a workday or a long study session.

A Little About This Eggplant Curry

If you've made my recipes before, you know I like to bulk up dishes with vegetables that are low in calories and high in water, like eggplant and zucchini.

Not an eggplant fan? Leave it out, or swap in zucchini, carrots, or chopped cabbage.

I kept this curry very mild in both flavor and aroma. It's lunch at the office, after all—not a spice challenge for everyone sharing the room.

The heart of this recipe is a brown rice, pea, and lentil mix from Harduf (an Israeli organic food brand). Full disclosure: Harduf also collaborated on this recipe.

This ready-to-cook blend takes just 15 minutes to cook. It's a great shortcut when you want a healthy, nourishing, delicious meal without a lot of fuss.

To thicken the sauce and give it a rich, rounded flavor, I used a little oat milk rather than calorie-dense coconut milk.

A few mint and cilantro leaves add a fresh finish. Don't like them? You don't have to use them.

Eggplant Curry Nutrition

One 300 g (10.6 oz) serving, out of 4 servings, contains:

• 350 calories
• 14 g protein
• 53 g (1.9 oz) carbohydrates
• 9 g fat (including 0.25 g saturated fat)
• 7 g fiber

Looking for another eggplant recipe?

Eggplant Curry

Prep Time 10 minutes

Cook Time 15 minutes

Yield 4 servings

Calories 350 kcal

Ingredients

• 1 onion
• 1 eggplant 300 g (10.6 oz)
• 3 tablespoons coconut oil
• 1 package Harduf brown rice, pea, and lentil mix 250 g (8.8 oz)
• 1 hot pepper, chopped
• 1 teaspoon grated ginger
• 2 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 teaspoon turmeric
• 1 tablespoon paprika
• 1/2 teaspoon cardamom
• 1/2 teaspoon cloves
• 1 can crushed tomatoes 400 g (14 oz)
• 1 handful chopped mint leaves
• 1 handful cilantro leaves
• A few scallions, for garnish
• 1/4 cup oat milk 55 ml (a scant 1/4 US cup)

Instructions

1. Chop the onion and sauté it in the coconut oil in a pot.

2. Peel and dice the eggplant, then add it to the pot with the onion.

3. Sauté for a few minutes, until the onion is lightly browned.

4. Add the ginger, garlic, and dried spices, and stir.

5. Add the brown rice, pea, and lentil mix, and stir to combine.

6. Add the mint, cilantro, crushed tomatoes, 1 cup water, and oat milk. Bring to a boil.

7. Simmer for about 15 minutes, until the curry thickens and the ingredients are tender.

8. Divide among 4 containers and dig into a different one each day.

Recipe Video