East African Eggplant Curry With Chickpeas |
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Prep Time: 0 Minutes Cook Time: 30 Minutes |
Ready In: 30 Minutes Servings: 4 |
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We had a bumper-crop of eggplant one summer and this was a unique way to prepare them. It comes from Faye Levy's International Vegetable Cookbook. Ingredients:
1 medium eggplant (1 pound 2 ounces), unpeeled |
3 tablespoons vegetable oil |
1 medium onion, chopped |
4 large garlic cloves, minced |
1 or 2 fresh jalapeño peppers, minced; or 2 to 3 teaspoons diced canned roasted jalapeño peppers |
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger |
2 teaspoons ground cumin |
1/2 teaspoon turmeric |
1/4 to 1/2 teaspoon dried hot red pepper flakes, or to taste |
2 cardamom pods (optional) |
salt to taste |
1 pound ripe tomatoes, peeled, seeded, and coarsely chopped; or 1 28-ounce can plum tomatoes, drained and chopped |
1 tablespoon tomato paste |
1/2 cup water |
1 1/2 to 2 cups cooked chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained |
cayenne pepper to taste |
Directions:
1. Cut eggplant into 1/4-inch dice.
2. In a heavy, wide casserole, heat oil, add onion, and cook over low heat for 7 minutes, or until soft but not brown.
3. Add garlic, jalapeño peppers, ginger, coriander, cumin, turmeric, pepper flakes, and cardamom.
4. Cook mixture, stirring, for 1 minute.
5. Add eggplant and salt, and mix well over low heat until eggplant is coated with spices.
6. Add tomatoes and bring to a boil over high heat. Mix tomato paste with water, and stir into mixture.
7. Cover and simmer over low heat, stirring often, for 20 minutes.
8. Add chickpeas and simmer 10 to 20 more minutes or until eggplant is very tender and mixture is thick.
9. Taste and adjust seasoning, adding cayenne pepper if desire. Remove cardamom. (Stew can be kept, covered, 3 days in refrigerator.) Serve hot.
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