Vegan Aubergine and chickpea curry

This was stunning! I started off by cutting an aubergine into small cubes adding salt to them and leaving them for 20 minutes to draw the moisture out. Then I toasted some spices - cardamon pods, cloves, a stick of cinnamon, cumin seeds, fennel seeds and garam masala. Then bash them to a powder in a pestle and mortar and remove the cardamon husk and add smoked paprika and chilli powder.

I rinsed and dried the aubergine in a tea towel, poured some vegetable oil into a frying pan and put the aubergine in with half the spice mixture, then fried for about eight minutes. While that's going on a finely chop an onion, some garlic, green chilli and grate some ginger. Remove the aubergine from the pan and set it aside.

Then onto the last stage, I fry the onion, garlic, ginger, chilli and remaining spice mixture until softened, then I add a few diced tomatoes. Add a tin of chick peas, veg stock and simmer for a while before adding coconut milk and putting the aubergines back in, throw some spinach on top and put a lid on for one minute, stir it in and serve with basmati rice, lime wedges, and coriander.
Happy veganuary!