This Brinjal Curry/ Eggplant curry with potatoes and butter beans is exactly the kind of vegetable curry I love making at home.
Soft brinjal, tender potatoes and creamy butter beans are cooked in a rich onion and tomato masala with green chillies, curry leaves, ginger and garlic and my homemade Butter Chicken Spice Blend.
And yes, I know butter chicken spice sounds like an unusual choice for a vegetarian curry, but this is exactly why I love keeping homemade spice blends in my cupboard. A good blend does not have to be used for only one dish.
This one works beautifully with vegetables too.
The butter beans are optional, but if you know me, you know I will always find a reason to add beans to a curry.
Serve it with roti, naan or fluffy rice and you have a hearty meat-free dinner that is full of flavour.
Why You’ll Love This Brinjal Curry with Potatoes
- It is a hearty vegetarian curry made in one pot.
- Brinjal becomes soft and silky as it cooks.
- Potatoes soak up all the flavour from the masala.
- Butter beans make the curry more substantial.
- You can leave the beans out or swap them for another variety.
- The heat is completely adjustable.
- You can add cream or spinach for an easy variation.
Why Brinjal and Potato Work So Well Together
Brinjal and potato are such a good combination in curry because they bring completely different textures to the pot.
The potatoes become tender and absorb the spices and tomato masala, while the brinjal softens and almost melts into the sauce.
That contrast makes the curry feel much richer than the ingredient list suggests.
Brinjal Needs a Little More Oil
If the amount of oil looks slightly generous for a vegetable curry, there is a reason.
Brinjal loves oil.
It absorbs quite a bit during cooking, especially in the early stages, and that helps give you that lovely soft texture later.
You do not need to drown it in oil, but using too little can leave the brinjal looking dry rather than silky.
Using Butter Chicken Spice in a Vegetable Curry
I use my homemade Butter Chicken Spice Blend in this recipe.
Even though the name suggests one very specific dish, I use this blend in all sorts of curries because the spices work beautifully with vegetables too.
It gives the brinjal, potatoes and butter beans warmth and depth without needing a long list of individual ground spices.
The Butter Beans Are Optional, But I Love Them
The butter beans make this curry more filling and add a lovely creamy texture.
Because canned beans are already cooked, they go in later so they do not break down too much.
You can replace them with cannellini beans, sugar beans or another bean you enjoy.
Or leave them out completely, but if you love beans as much as I do, then check out these recipes with beans in it.
- Greenbeans and Potato curry
- Boerewors and Butter Beans
- Spinach Dal Makhani
- Roasted Tomato and White Bean Soup
How to Make Brinjal Curry with Potatoes
1. Start with the Onions
Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium to medium-high heat.
Add the sliced onion and fry for about 2 minutes.
Add the green chillies and a sprig of curry leaves.
Continue cooking for another 3 minutes until the onions begin to soften and take on a little colour.
2. Add the Ginger and Garlic
Add the crushed ginger and garlic.
Mix well and fry for about 1 minute until fragrant.
3. Add the Tomato and Dhania
Add the chopped tomatoes and a small handful of roughly chopped dhania (coriander).
Mix well.
4. Add the Spice Blend
Add the Butter Chicken Spice Blend and coarse salt to taste.
Cook for about 2 minutes so the spice blend has time to cook into the tomato and onion base.
Add a small splash of water if the masala begins to catch.
5. Add the Brinjal and Potatoes
Add the quartered brinjal and cubed potato.
Mix gently so everything is coated in the masala.
Add a few more curry leaves.
Pour in approximately ½ cup water.
6. Cover and Cook
Cover the pot and cook for approximately 20 to 25 minutes.
Stir gently from time to time.
Cook until the potatoes are beginning to soften and the brinjal is becoming tender.
7. Add the Butter Beans
Add the drained and rinsed butter beans.
Add another ½ cup water.
Reduce the heat and cook for a further 10 to 15 minutes, or until the potatoes are completely tender and the brinjal is soft.
8. Finish the Curry
Taste and adjust the seasoning.
Finish with chopped dhania.
Add chopped green chilli over the top if you want a little more heat.
Remove from the heat and serve hot with roti, rice or naan.
How Much Water Should I Add?
Add the water gradually rather than all at once.
Brinjal releases moisture as it cooks and the tomatoes also contribute liquid.
You want enough moisture for the potatoes to cook properly, but you do not want to turn this into a very watery curry.
The finished dish should have a rich masala coating the brinjal, potatoes and beans.
How Long Does Brinjal Curry Take To Cook?
Cooking time will vary slightly depending on the type of potatoes you use, how large you cut them and even your altitude.
Use the timing in the recipe as a guide, but cook until the potatoes are tender rather than watching the clock alone.
If the potatoes need more time, add a small splash of hot water and continue cooking. Have you tried my Lamb and Brinjal Curry?
Can I Use Fresh Tomato Instead of Canned?
Yes.
I used about ½ cup canned chopped tomatoes because I had some left over.
A small fresh tomato, finely chopped, works just as well.
Let it cook down properly before adding the brinjal and potatoes.
Can I Use Another Type of Bean?
Absolutely.
Butter beans are lovely because they are soft and creamy, but cannellini beans, sugar beans or chickpeas would also work.
Whatever canned bean you choose, drain and rinse it before adding it to the curry.
Can I Leave the Beans Out?
Yes.
The brinjal and potato curry is substantial enough without them.
The beans simply make the dish a little more filling and give you another texture in the pot.
Easy Variations
Add Cream
A small splash of cream stirred through at the end makes the curry richer and softer.
You only need a little.
Add Baby Spinach
Stir chopped baby spinach through during the final few minutes of cooking and allow it to wilt into the curry.
Make It Hotter
Add extra green chillies or use a hotter spice blend.
Change the Beans
Use cannellini beans, sugar beans, chickpeas or whatever you have in the cupboard.
Leave the Beans Out
Keep it simple with just brinjal and potato.
What to Serve with Brinjal and Potato Curry
This curry is lovely with:
- Roti
- Naan
- Fluffy steamed rice
- Braised rice with cumin and coriander
- Fresh bread
- A simple carrot salad
- Raita
For me, warm roti is especially good because it scoops up that soft brinjal and thick masala beautifully.
Can I Make This Curry Ahead?
Yes.
This curry keeps well and the flavours deepen once it has had time to stand.
Store leftovers in a covered container in the fridge and reheat gently until piping hot.
The brinjal will become softer after reheating, which I actually quite enjoy in this sort of curry.
Add a small splash of water if the masala becomes too thick.
A Simple Vegetable Curry with Lots of Options
This is the kind of curry I love because you can make it exactly as written or change it according to what you have.
Use another bean, leave the beans out, add spinach, finish it with a splash of cream or turn the heat up with extra chillies.
The base stays the same: soft brinjal, tender potatoes and a good masala.
And yes, if I have a tin of beans in the cupboard, chances are they are going into the pot.
Other delicious recipes to try. Click on the image to get the recipe.
Brinjal Curry with Potatoes and Butter Beans
A hearty brinjal and potato curry with creamy butter beans, curry leaves, green chillies and a rich tomato masala. Easy, comforting and perfect with roti or rice.
Ingredients
Instructions
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Heat the oil in a medium pot over medium to medium-high heat.
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Add the sliced onion and fry for about 2 minutes.
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Add the green chillies and one sprig of curry leaves.
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Cook for a further 3 minutes until the onions begin to soften and lightly colour.
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Add the crushed ginger and garlic and cook for about 1 minute.
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Add the chopped tomatoes and a small handful of chopped dhania.
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Add the Butter Chicken Spice Blend and coarse salt to taste.
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Mix well and cook for about 2 minutes.
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Add a small splash of water if needed to prevent the masala from catching.
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Add the cubed potato and quartered brinjal.
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Mix gently so the vegetables are coated in the masala.
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Add the remaining curry leaves and approximately ½ cup water.
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Cover and cook for 20-25 minutes, stirring gently from time to time.
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Once the potatoes are beginning to soften, add the drained and rinsed butter beans.
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Add approximately another ½ cup water.
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Reduce the heat and cook for a further 10-15 minutes, or until the potatoes are tender and the brinjal is soft.
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Taste and adjust the seasoning.
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Sprinkle over the garam masala, if using.
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Finish with chopped dhania and extra green chilli if desired.
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Remove from the heat and serve hot with roti, naan or rice.
Note
BRINJAL:
I used medium brinjal and quartered them. Brinjal absorbs oil during cooking, so the amount of oil may look generous but helps create a softer texture.
POTATOES:
Cooking time will vary depending on the variety and size of your potatoes as well as altitude. Cook until tender rather than relying only on the stated time.
TOMATOES:
I used ½ cup canned tomatoes because I had some left over. One small fresh tomato can be used instead.
BUTTER BEANS:
Butter beans make the curry more substantial, but cannellini beans, sugar beans or chickpeas can also be used. The beans can also be left out completely.
SPICE BLEND:
I use my homemade Butter Chicken Spice Blend. Despite the name, it works beautifully in many vegetable and meat curries.
WATER:
Add water gradually. You want enough liquid to cook the potatoes but the finished curry should have a thick masala rather than lots of gravy.
CREAM:
For a richer curry, stir through a small splash of cream at the end.
SPINACH:
Chopped baby spinach can be added during the final few minutes and cooked until just wilted.
HEAT:
Adjust the green chillies according to your preferred heat level.
