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1. Rinse the brown lentils under cold water and drain. Dice the chicken thighs into bite-size pieces. Cut the aubergines into medium cubes. Finely chop the onions, tomatoes, garlic, ginger, and fresh coriander leaves, keeping them separate.
600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs,
2 piece aubergine,
1 cup brown lentils (dried),
2 piece onion,
3 piece tomato,
4 clove garlic cloves,
2 tbsp fresh ginger,
0.5 cup fresh coriander leaves (garnish)
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2. Heat half of the neutral oil in a large heavy pot over medium-high heat. Add the aubergine cubes in a single layer and cook, stirring occasionally, until lightly browned and starting to soften, then transfer them to a plate.
2 piece aubergine,
1.5 tbsp neutral oil
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3. Add the remaining neutral oil to the same pot. Add the diced chicken thighs, season lightly with salt and ground black pepper, and sear until lightly browned on most sides. Transfer the chicken to the plate with the aubergine; keep any juices in the pot.
600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs,
0.2 tsp ground black pepper,
1.5 tsp salt,
3 tbsp neutral oil
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4. Reduce heat to medium. Add cumin seeds and the bay leaf to the pot and toast until fragrant. Add the chopped onions with a pinch of salt and cook, stirring often, until deep golden and caramelized.
2 piece onion,
1 tsp cumin seeds,
1 piece bay leaf,
1.5 tsp salt
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5. Stir in the chopped garlic and ginger and cook briefly until fragrant. Add ground cumin, ground coriander, ground turmeric, chili powder, and tomato puree. Cook, stirring, until the spices smell toasted and the mixture thickens slightly.
4 clove garlic cloves,
2 tbsp fresh ginger,
2 tbsp tomato puree,
2 tsp ground cumin,
1.5 tsp ground coriander,
0.5 tsp ground turmeric,
0.5 tsp chili powder
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6. Add the chopped tomatoes and cook, stirring and mashing, until they break down into a thick, glossy masala and most of the liquid has reduced.
3 piece tomato
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7. Return the seared chicken and any juices to the pot along with the rinsed lentils. Stir to coat everything in the masala, then pour in the water and add remaining salt. Bring to a boil, then reduce heat to a gentle simmer, cover, and cook until the lentils are just tender.
600 g boneless skinless chicken thighs,
1 cup brown lentils (dried),
1.5 tsp salt,
3 cup water
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8. Stir in the browned aubergine cubes. Continue to simmer uncovered, stirring occasionally, until the aubergine is tender, the lentils are soft but holding their shape, and the curry has a thick, saucy consistency. Add a splash of water if it becomes too thick.
2 piece aubergine,
3 cup water
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9. Stir in the garam masala and simmer briefly to meld the flavors. Taste and adjust salt or chili powder if needed. If using, swirl in the plain yogurt off the heat for a creamy finish. Sprinkle with chopped fresh coriander leaves and serve hot with rice or flatbread.
1.5 tsp garam masala,
0.5 tsp chili powder,
1.5 tsp salt,
0.5 cup plain yogurt (optional, to finish),
0.5 cup fresh coriander leaves (garnish)
