Eggplant with Peanut Sauce and Spicy Curry Lentils

Life continues to bring challenges, welcome or unwelcome, expected or unexpected. Real. Unique. Natural. Part of being human. Use that creativity that is tucked away inside your spirit. Let the impending challenge come into your life. Sometimes we want to fight, and yet it always seems to find a way in. Be creative in how you handle it! Sometimes this may mean stepping out of your comfort zone. Sometimes this may mean letting those different internal parts of yourself communicate and join together. Fear meets with passion. Worry meets with hope. Creative fusion.

In June I was challenged to create a recipe using eggplant, lentils, Garam Masala, and peanut butter. I bounced between Thai-inspired and Indian-inspired ideas. Then I decided that it is alright to fuse the two together. Why not? I was nervous. I was excited. I was hopeful. I was afraid. I let that intrinsic creativity take over. The result was a very tasty dinner! ENJOY!

My favorite tips:

*The beauty of this recipe is the blending of such diverse flavors into one tasty meal.
*I like to use natural peanut butter that contains only peanuts and a small amount of salt. No other sweeteners or additives needed!
*Soy sauce can be substituted for the Tamari, though it will not be guaranteed gluten-free. Most soy-sauce contains gluten.
*In my peanut sauce, I start with 1/3 cup water to thin the sauce. Add more to reach desired consistency. For this meal, I increased to 2/3 cup water because I wanted a thinner sauce. This is entirely up to your preference.
*Peanut sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
*For Spicy Curry Lentils, I suggest using the recipe the first time and adjusting spice level to your preference in the future.
*Follow package directions to cook the red lentils. I determined that approximately 1 cup dried lentils makes approximately 3 cups cooked.
*I find it easiest with this recipe to cook the raw lentils and prepare the peanut sauce first. Then, I proceed to fry the eggplant and create the curry lentil dish.
*The optional garnishes really do add color and flavor to the dish. I suggest trying them out!

Eggplant with Peanut Sauce and Spicy Curry Lentils

Recipe by AmiessaCourse: DinnerCuisine: Thai, IndianDifficulty: Easy

Servings

4

servings

Prep time

20

minutes

Cooking time

20

minutes

The beauty of this recipe is the blending of such diverse flavors into one tasty meal. Thai-inspired eggplant with peanut sauce meets Indian-inspired curry lentils. Quick. Easy. Tasty. ENJOY!

Ingredients

• Eggplant with Peanut Sauce

• 1 eggplant, peeled and sliced

• sprinkle of kosher salt

• 1/2 Tbsp olive oil

• 1/2 cup creamy peanut butter

• 1 garlic clove, minced

• 2 Tbsp Tamari

• 1 Tbsp fresh ginger, minced or grated

• 1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

• 1 tsp garam masala

• juice of 1/2 lime

• 1/3 cup water, add more to desired consistency

• OPTIONAL GARNISH – lime wedges

• OPTIONAL GARNISH – cilantro leaves, chopped

• Spicy Curry Lentils

• 3 cups cooked red lentils, drained of excess liquid

• 1 tsp olive oil

• 1/3 cup onion, diced

• 2 garlic cloves, minced

• 2 tsp ginger, minced or grated

• 1 1/2 tsp garam masala

• 1/4 tsp cayenne

• 1 tsp curry powder

• 1/2 cup vegetable broth

• OPTIONAL GARNISH – coconut milk

• OPTIONAL GARNISH – unsalted dry roasted peanuts, chopped

• OPTIONAL GARNISH – sliced fresh jalepenos and red fresno peppers

• OPTIONAL GARNISH – cilantro leaves, chopped

Directions

• Eggplant with Peanut Sauce
• Place eggplant slices flat on cutting board. Sprinkle both sides lightly with kosher salt. Let rest 5 minutes. Wipe liquid from eggplant.
• Prepare peanut sauce while eggplant rests. Combine peanut butter, garlic, Tamari, ginger, red pepper flakes, garam masala, lime juice, and water. Stir very well or use blender/food processor. Add more water to your desired consistency. (see notes)
• Heat 1/2 Tbsp olive oil in skillet on medium. Add eggplant slices and cook until lightly browned on each side, approximately 5 minutes per side.
• Serve eggplant warm with peanut sauce. Garnish as desired with lime wedges and cilantro. ENJOY!
• Spicy Curry Lentils
• Heat tsp olive oil in skillet on medium heat. Add onion, garlic, and ginger. Stir continually until fragrant.
• Add garam masala, cayenne, and curry powder. Stir well.
• Add vegetable broth and bring to a simmer. Add cooked lentils and stir well to blend flavors.
• Remove from heat. Drizzle with optional coconut milk. Serve with your desired optional garnishes of chopped peanuts, sliced peppers, and cilantro. ENJOY!

Notes

• I like to use natural peanut butter that contains only peanuts and a small amount of salt. No other sweeteners or additives needed!
• Soy sauce can be substituted for the Tamari, though it will not be guaranteed gluten-free. Most soy-sauce contains gluten.
• In my peanut sauce, I start with 1/3 cup water to thin the sauce. Add more to reach desired consistency. For this meal, I increased to 2/3 cup water because I wanted a thinner sauce. This is entirely up to your preference.
• Peanut sauce can be made ahead and refrigerated. Bring to room temperature before serving.
• For Spicy Curry Lentils, I suggest using the recipe the first time and adjusting spice level to your preference in the future.
• Follow package directions to cook the red lentils. I determined that approximately 1 cup dried lentils makes approximately 3 cups cooked.
• I find it easiest with this recipe to cook the raw lentils and prepare the peanut sauce first. Then, I proceed to fry the eggplant and create the curry lentil dish.
• The optional garnishes really do add color and flavor to the dish. I suggest trying them out!