So a dish in a hurry, with some comfort to it was what I was after when I raided the kitchen after work on Wednesday. Rocket was due to be working late so it was just a case of something quick for me. After I had started prepping, Rocket arrived home, so I just threw in some more potatoes, added some extra bread and eggs….

I love the richness of aubergines in curry, in slightly oily dishes I guess, so I decided to make a little potato and aubergine ‘curry in a hurry’. I planned a dryish sort of hash with 2 fried eggs, a shop bought naan and a cucumber raitha made from some baby cucumbers. It wasn’t the most elegant plate I’ve ever made, but it was very tasty. This took 15 minutes to prepare and 30 minutes to cook.

I have a great Sri Lankan cook book by Peter Kuruvita, and he gives curry powder recipes for various ingredients which I have used may times. However, this was a Wednesday – I didn’t have any ‘here’s one I made earlier’ but I did find a pack of roasted curry powder which was brought back from Sri Lanka for us by our chef friend, Wiz.

If you can get hold of a Sri Lankan mix then go for it, otherwise any decent medium spiced powder could work, like a Madras.

For the Raitha

Chop some cucumber – if using a standard size one remove the seeds, add some plain yoghurt (stirred) to the cucumber and a little fresh or jarred mint, then set aside.

For the Curry/Hash

1 Onion diced to about 1cm pieces.

1 Aubergine, ½ skin removed, roughly chopped to about 2cm.

½ the quantity of chopped potato ( 2cm) to aubergine – parboiled.

2 tsp of good curry powder

½ tsp turmeric

1/4 tsp chilli powder

2 tbsp  light oil like sunflower

3 tomatoes, peeled and cut into eighths

1 cup of water

1 tsp salt

Coriander leaves to garnish

For the eggs:

4 good free range eggs – 2 each

A little chopped mild red chilli

A little chopped coriander

A dishing of cayenne and a sprinkle of salt

Put the potatoes on to parboil for about 6/7 minutes, then drain.

In a large pan or wok, soften the onions then add the aubergine and fry for about 5 minutes.

Move the veg to the side of the pan and add the curry powder and turmeric to the centre of the pan, allowing it to gently fry for a couple of minutes then turn the  veg over the in the spice mix.

Next add the potatoes to the mix, turn over the in the mixture and then add the water and salt. Cover and simmer for about 15 minutes stirring occasionally, press the potatoes a little with a wooden spoon to break them down – you don’t want a complete mush but you do want them a little crushed.

Remove the lid, add the tomatoes and leave uncovered until the water has more or less gone and the oil has risen to the surface – it will take about another 15 minutes.

Leave the curry to sit whilst you warm the breads and fry the eggs.

Place the eggs onto a plate and garnish with a little finely chopped fresh red chilli, a little salt, some coriander and dust with cayenne .

Add the curry to the plate along with the raitha and warm bread, scoop up the eggs and curry with the bread and yoghurt….mighty fine! This is the sort of thing I can happily eat for breakfast – and frequently did in India.