Super Food In Minutes30 Minutes

Aubergine Curry with Turmeric Cauliflower Rice

Name: Aubergine Curry with Turmeric Cauliflower Rice
Total time: 30 min
Yield: 4 servings
Cuisine: Asian
Ingredients: 3 tbsp olive oil; 1 large onion, finely chopped; 2 garlic cloves, crushed; 2.5cm (1in) piece of ginger, peeled and grated; 3 aubergines, cubed; 2 tsp nigella seeds or black mustard seeds; 2 tsp garam masala; 1 x 400g (14oz) tin chopped tomatoes; 200g (7oz) natural yoghurt, plus extra to serve; For the cauliflower rice; 1 tbsp olive oil; 1 garlic clove, crushed; 1 tsp ground turmeric; 800g (1lb 12oz) riced cauliflower (shop-bought or see Cook’s Notes)

Aubergines are fantastic flavour carriers, making them perfect for veggie curries. Cauliflower rice is easy to make at home: either pulse the cauliflower in a food processor, or coarsely grate, until it resembles grains of rice.

Donal SkehanFrom the series · Super Food In Minutes

30 min totalServes 4Easy

Time30 min

Serves4

SkillEasy

ShowSuper Food In Minutes

Method

Heat half the oil in a large sauté pan and gently fry the onion for 6 minutes until softened. Add the garlic and ginger and fry for 1 minute, then add the rest of the oil and the aubergines. Increase the heat and brown the aubergines on all sides.

Add the nigella (or mustard) seeds, garam masala, tomatoes and plenty of seasoning, reduce the heat and bubble for 15 minutes until the aubergine is lovely and tender and the sauce has thickened.

Meanwhile, prepare the cauliflower rice: heat the oil in a saucepan and fry the garlic and turmeric for 30 seconds, then add the riced cauliflower and a splash of water. Cover and steam for 5 minutes until hot and tender. Season well.

Stir the yoghurt through the curry and allow to simmer gently for 1–2 minutes. Serve with the cauliflower rice and an extra dollop of yoghurt

Cook's notes

Aubergine drinks up oil, so give it space and a properly hot pan to brown rather than stew — that colour is where the flavour is.
For the cauliflower rice, do what I did on the show: sprinkle sea salt over the garlic and mash it to a paste with the flat of a large knife blade — the salt acts as an abrasive and the paste melts evenly into the pan.
To rice your own cauliflower, pulse florets in a food processor until they look like grains, or work them down the coarse side of a box grater — my no-gadget route.
Cook the cauliflower rice covered with just a splash of water so it steams and stays fluffy rather than frying dry.
Take the pan off a fierce heat before the yoghurt goes in and stir it through gently; boiling it hard can make it split and go grainy.

Serve with An extra dollop of yoghurt and some warm naan or flatbread to scoop with. A scatter of fresh coriander and a wedge of lime brighten it up nicely.

Make ahead & storage The curry keeps well and the flavour deepens overnight — store it in the fridge for up to three days and reheat gently. Make the cauliflower rice fresh, as it doesn't reheat as happily.

30 MinutesAsianVegetarian

Recipe by Donal Skehan · From the series Super Food In Minutes · Photography © Appetite Media
Published 13 July 2026 · Updated 15 July 2026

Nutrition

Per serving

310kcal

11gprotein

24gcarbs

16gfat

Figures from the show's kitchen.

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