Grilled Aubergine with Homemade Bombay Sauce
The Grilled Aubergine with Homemade Bombay Chutney is a simple dish to make as a midweek meal or to serve to vegan or vegetarian friends if you are hosting an Indian themed dinner party.
The Homemade Bombay Chutney is delicious. It’s more of a thin sauce, than a thick chutney and the recipe makes more than is needed. That said the leftovers are a lovely addition to a vegan sandwich, a dip for poppadums or served with crudités, so the extra made will be enjoyed, but trust me it won’t last long.
This was inspired by the very talented Vivek Signhs recipe for Spice Crusted Halibut in Green Spiced Sauce. We loved Bombay Sandwich Spread, it was a green jar available at my local supermarket when my children were young. It has since disappeared off the shelves, but when I tasted my version of Vivek’s recipe, it tasted just like what we have missed all these years.
The recipe could easily be made with other vegetables, portobello mushrooms, courgettes or butternut spring to mind, but any vegetable that you enjoy grilling work. Paneer and tofu can also be grilled and added to the dish.
- 2 aubergines sliced horizontally
- Olive oil
- For the Green Spiced Sauce
- 1 onion
- 1 small garlic clove
- 2 inch piece of fresh ginger, scraped
- 1 Tablespoon plain or whole-wheat flour
- 150g fresh coriander, roughly chopped
- + 20g fresh coriander, chopped as a garnish
- 30g fresh mint, roughly chopped
- 1 cup water
- 1 green chillies, deseeded if you want a milder Green Spiced Sauce
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1 teaspoon sugar
- juice of a lime
- Pre-heat the grill
- To make the Bombay Chutney
- In a food processor add all the Bombay Chutney ingredients and blend to a smooth consistency.
- Add the mixture to a pot and reduce by half, stirring often to insure the Bombay Sauce doesn’t catch.
- The Bombay Chutney will thicken and reduce in about 10-15 minutes.
- In the mean while:
- Prepare the aubergine by topping and tailing and slicing into 1cm horizontal slices.
- Dip the aubergine into the Bombay Chutney as it is cooking and sprinkle with olive oil grill until golden brown and tender.
- Serve the aubergine with rice and the Bombay Chutney as a dipping sauce on the side.
Dip the Tofu into the Bombay Chutney and pan fry or grill till golden, layer and serve with rice and green beans or on its on.
