Last updated on May 12th, 2023

Smoky Eggplant Curry Salsa (Gujarati-Style)

It’s smoky, and it’s curry, and yes, this dish is also a salsa!

Eggplant is one of my favourite vegetables to turn into a whole meal; this recipe is no exception. It’s a variation of a Gujarati recipe called ‘Ringan no Oro,’ which means eggplant-mashed. My mum often made it for me and my siblings when we were kids; she would flame roast eggplant on the gas stove, make a simple curry, and serve it with an Indian flatbread. Although it was a curry, we would eat it like salsa.

Indian spices and vegetables were rarely available in the UK during the mid-1970s. Hence, there weren’t any special ingredients in my mum’s eggplant curry that made it delicious, but how she charred the eggplant made her curry taste smoky and flavourful.

The technique of roasting or flame-roasting vegetables has been around for many years, and many recipes on the internet use roasted eggplant as the main ingredient. Other dishes that start with this cooking method are Baba Ganoush, the infamous middle eastern dip everybody loves, and Baigan Bhurta, another dish from India.

The great thing about this recipe is that the eggplant is diced into small chunks after it is roasted, which makes a nice change when you scoop it with low-carb pita or roti rather than being mushy. The smoky eggplant flavour is still prominent when diced like salsa, and sometimes I eat it with homemade nacho chips.

Why you’ll like Smoky Eggplant Curry Salsa (Gujarati-Style)

• Broiling and roasting eggplant is easy and brings a lovely smoky flavour to this curry or salsa.
• Serve this smoky Eggplant stir-fry as a curry, side dish or eggplant salsa.
• Eggplant is a non-starchy vegetable, so they don’t add too many carbs to the curry when mixed with other vegetables that add carbs, like onions and tomatoes.
• Eggplants are low in carbs, add variety to a low-carb diet, and help you remain committed to your carb-conscious lifestyle.
• Enjoy this curry with roti, naans, flatbreads or low-carb ricotta crepes for a fulfilling meal.

How to select a good eggplant

• Eggplants come in various sizes and shapes, but the type you need to make this smoky eggplant curry recipe is the large dark purple kind that can be roasted whole without losing its form.
• Eggplant should be slightly firm but not hard and feel heavy.
• The skin should be dark purple and glossy, but if it looks dull, it is over-matured and will not yield good results after roasting.
• Eggplants are at their peak in the warmer season from July through to October but are available all year round.
• Avoid eggplants with brown patches or wrinkled skin because they will be overripe and bitter.
• A fresh ripe eggplant will have a clean and mould-free stem.

Ingredients to make Smoky Eggplant Curry Salsa (Gujarati-Style)

Extra virgin Olive oil – for sauteeing the ingredients and drizzling over the eggplant curry salsa.

Eggplants – select large, glossy-skinned eggplants.

Red Onions – diced

Garlic Cloves – thinly sliced to stuff the eggplants before roasting and crushed to add to the onions.

Canned Tomatoes – diced, juicy canned tomatoes will give this salsa tartness and keep it moist.

Turmeric – adds colour to vegetables.

Chilli Powder – gives a little heat. Add less or more.

Salt – for flavour.

Lemon Juice – enhances the tartness and garlicky flavour.

Cilantro – to garnish (optional).

Steps to make Smoky Eggplant Curry Salsa

Roast the Eggplant:

Wash and dry the eggplant with a paper towel, cut slits around it, and hide the garlic slices in the slits to prevent them from burning under the broiler.

Place the eggplants on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper and place the baking sheet on the top shelf of the broiler (about 5 inches under the broiler).

Broil the eggplants on low heat for 10 minutes, turning every two minutes until all sides are charred.

After broiling, carefully move the baking sheet to the middle shelf and bake the eggplants for 20 minutes at 375 F.

Chop the Roasted Eggplant:

After 20 minutes, poke a long kebab stick into the eggplant, which should feel soft inside but will be a little firm and easy to dice.

Remove the baking sheet from the oven and allow the eggplants to cool completely.

Peel the eggplant, cut it into slices, cut each piece into strips, and then dice.

Make the Smoky Eggplant Curry Salsa:

Heat olive oil in a skillet or cast iron, add the red onions and garlic and saute until soft and translucent.

Stir in the canned tomatoes, turmeric, chilli powder and salt and cook until the flavours are absorbed into the vegetables.

Add the prepared diced eggplant to the skillet and stir it to combine all the ingredients and flavours.

Squeeze lemon juice all over the eggplant curry salsa, and cook for about 5 minutes on medium heat. Add some water to the bottom of the skillet if the vegetables begin to burn.

Garnish with chopped cilantro and raw red onions, and drizzle with olive oil as desired.

Storage and Freezing

Storage:  Store any leftovers in a glass or plastic container fitted with a lid and refrigerate for up to 5 days. The curry tastes better the next day after all the flavours have been absorbed.

Reheat: Warm curry in the microwave, covering for 4 mins stirring at every 30-second increment or until it has warmed evenly. Alternatively, reheat in a saucepan, gradually over medium heat, until it has warmed through. 

Freeze: Freeze leftovers or cooled curry in a freezer-safe container for up to 3 months. 

Defrost: Thaw the curry in the refrigerator overnight for the best results, and add some water before reheating to bring it back to its chunky texture.

Did you make this recipe?

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