Mabes Makes: Aubergine Katsu Curry

Katsu curry is one of my favourites, the sauce is sweet yet spicy and is so easy to make. Aubergines work perfectly as a meat alternative and taste deliciously slowly roasted in the oven in breadcrumbs.

Serves 4

 Ingredients

• 2 aubergines
  
  
• 100g dried breadcrumbs
  
  
• Handful sesame seeds (optional)
  
  
• 3tbsp plain flour
  
  
• 200g rice

 Sauce

• Vegetable oil
  
  
• 2tsbp clear honey
  
  
• 1 onion
  
  
• 3 cloves garlic
  
  
• 1tbsp mango chutney
  
  
• Splash soy sauce
  
  
• 3 tbsp curry powder
  
  
• 1 can coconut milk

 Method

1. Heat the oven 180C
   
   
2. In a bowl, mix 3tbsp of flour with enough water to make a runny paste
   
   
3. Cut the aubergine into 1cm thick slices and coat in the flour mixture and then dip into the breadcrumbs. I usually add some salt and paprika to my breadcrumb mix, you can also sprinkle them in sesame seeds if you have some for a lovely texture
   
   
4. Fry the coated aubergines in a pan with some oil for about 5 mins- making sure you flip them over- add more oil as you do more batches
   
   
5. Cook the aubergines in the oven for a good 30 minutes, until golden
   
   
6. Cook the rice following the cooking instructions
   
   
7. To prepare the sauce, wipe the pan you used for the aubergines clean and add a big glug of oil
   
   
8. On a medium heat, cook the finely sliced onion and garlic 
   
   
9. Stir in the curry powder and 1tbsp of flour
   
   
10. Add the honey to create a thick paste
    
    
11. Gradually add the coconut milk, a bit at a time, to form a creamy sauce
    
    
12. Stir the mango chutney and a splash of soy sauce into the sauce and cook for 10-15 minutes on low-medium heat, bubbling away gently
    
    
13. If it isn’t thick enough, you can add some water to 1 tsp of cornflour and stir some into the sauce
    
    
14. Serve the aubergines with rice and pour over the sauce