Ingredients

• 4 garlic cloves, finely chopped
• 4 cm fresh ginger, finely chopped
• 3 fresh chillies, finely chopped
• 1 tbsp tomato puree
• 60 ml water
• 1 large aubergine, diced into roughly 2 cm chunks
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• 4 green cardamon pods, shells removed and seeds crushed
• 1 onion, finely sliced
• 6 black peppercorns
• 1 bay leaf
• 1 ½ cm piece of cinnamon stick
• 1 tsp sugar
• 1 tsp ground cumin
• 2 tsp ground coriander
• 100g yoghurt
• ½ tsp garam masala
• Handful of fresh coriander to serve
• Toasted desiccated coconut to serve

Method

• Put the garlic, ginger, chillies, tomato puree and water into a liquidiser and blend to a paste
• Toast the desiccated coconut until golden brown in a dry pan, then set aside
• Add a tablespoon of oil to a pan and when hot, add the aubergine chunks, stirring regularly for about 15 minutes until well browned on each side.  Set aside
• Add a little more oil to the pan and when hot, add cardamom, peppercorns, bay leaf, cinnamon and fry for 2 minutes. 
• Add the onion and sugar and reduce the heat to medium and cook for a further 10 – 15 minutes until onions have softened.
• Add the ginger paste, ground coriander and ground cumin and mix everything together and leave to cook for 5 minutes.
• Add the aubergine and yoghurt and mix in to combine, adding a little water if necessary to achieve a think gravy-like consistency.  Cover and cook for 5 minutes.
• Remove the bay leaf and cinnamon stick and serve with a sprinkling of chopped coriander and desiccated coconut alongside rice or naan bread.