Coronation Aubergine Eggplant

This Coronation Aubergine/Eggplant is a delicious vegetarian side dish that elevates a bland vegetable with a tasty marinade and dressing. It’s all topped off with delicious toppings of a Greek curry yogurt dressing with mango chutney, crispy fried onions, sweet raisins and fresh cilantro. A very tasty side dish indeed! This quick and easy aubergine/eggplant dish is the creation of British chef Nadiya Hussain and was inspired by her childhood country of Bangladesh. A dish that has so many delicious flavors and textures, it could easily also be served as a vegetarian main course. Last week I made King Charles Coronation Quiche and these are just among 2 of the dishes that will be served for the event. The other dishes are a rack of lamb and a strawberry and ginger trifle. I don’t enjoy aubergine/eggplant that much, but when it is gilded with the most delicious sauce, crispy onions and sweet raisins, the truth is I couldn’t get enough of this dish! 70 years on from the last Coronation, there is a focus on vegetarian foods in the King Charles Coronation menu. The Coronation quiche is vegetarian because it has no meat, just eggs, milk, cream, cheese, spinach, broad beans/fava beans and fresh tarragon. Eggplant/aubergine are like sponges, they will take on any flavor that you add to them. In this case it the marinade of onion, garlic and paprika that just soaks in perfectly.

Ingredients:

Plain Greek yogurtMild curry powderCloves garlic Fine sea salt2 tablespoons mango chutney2 tablespoons whole milk OilSmall yellow onion Olive oilGarlic clovesYellow onionPaprikaSaltAubergine/eggplant RaisinsCoriander/cilantro

How to cook Coronation Aubergine/Eggplant

You can cook it one of two ways. I like to use my outdoor grill and get some good grill marks on the slices. If you prefer indoor cooking, you can use your grill pan (griddle pan) on the cooktop. The marinade browns and gives you beautiful grill marks no matter which method you choose. Alternatively, you can pan fry them in oil.

Coronation Chicken Sauce

The sauce used for this dish is similar to the sauce in the Queens Coronation Chicken with Indian flavor influence. It is a mild curry, yogurt-based sauce with a lovely sweetness from mango chutney.

Crispy fried onions

Are one of life’s delicious edible garnishes. They add a lovely sweet onion flavor along with a crispy texture to offset the soft vegetable.

Raisins and Cilantro/Coriander

Just a few raisins is all you need to add another layer of sweetness along with the rich sauce and the fresh cilantro/coriander is a delicate fresh finish.

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