Baigan Bharta (Punjabi Eggplant Curry) / White Bean & Red Curry Soup in Coconut Milk / Roasted Lemon Chutney

Blog Post & Recipe: Baigan Bharta (Punjabi Eggplant Curry): Virtue Out of Necessity

The recipe below – baigan bhartha – makes use of eggplant’s previously unappreciated attribute of being able to bind a sauce. Like its nightshade cousin the tomato, eggplant seems as comfortable in this role as any other we’ve tried with it. The smoky flavor gained through roasting is quite startling

Blog Post & Recipe: White Bean and Red Curry Soup in Coconut Milk - An MLLA Guest Post from Courtney of Coco Cooks

To achieve the creaminess I adore in chowders and bisques, I knew there would be coconut milk as a base. I then got to thinking of my beloved Thai soups and decided red curry would add the heat. The richness and fullness would come from white cannellini beans pureed to give structure. And the finish, influenced by the Thai culture again, would be squirt of lime and cilantro finished with drops of red chili oil.

Blog Post & Recipe: Roasted Lemon Chutney Recipe

I slathered the chutney on thick slabs of toasted bread with a good amount of whipped goat cheese - that's what you see in the photos. But really, there are so many other things you can do with it. A couple ideas: a dollop stirred into brown rice, chopped sauteed spinach, topped with a fried/poached egg and a touch of soy sauce. Or incorporated into a hot pasta bowl. Or, inside a savory crepe. Or, tossed with hot roasted potatoes, or baked potatoes. You get the idea.