Eggplant Chickpea Curry

Long live the mighty eggplant, that cross-seasonal mighty horse of the kitchen, able to float between the background and the foreground of recipes, depending on what you need. Here, eggplant is the star of a super easy, super tasty curry

The initial cooking of the eggplant may seem unnecessary, but it helps to keep the pieces more intact, allowing for a curry that is not just mush.

Eggplant Chickpea Curry

Yield: 4 - 6 servings

Ingredients

1 medium globe eggplant (about 1 1/4 pounds) Can sub in smaller Japanese eggplant for the same weight

Salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

3 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil, divided

1 medium white or yellow onion, chopped

4 medium garlic cloves, minced

1-inch piece fresh ginger, peeled and minced

1 teaspoon ground cumin seeds

2 teaspoons curry powder

1 teaspoon ground coriander

1/2 teaspoon turmeric powder

1/4 teaspoon chili flakes

1/2 head cabbage, chopped into 1-inch pieces (about 2 cups)

One 15-ounce can of chickpeas, drained and rinsed (or 1 1/2 cups cooked chickpeas)

One 8-ounce can tomato sauce

Half a 13-ounce can (about 1 cup) unsweetened full-fat coconut milk

1 tablespoon lemon or lime juice

Cilantro, for serving

Cooked rice or favorite grain, for serving

Directions

Cut the eggplant into 3/4-inch cubes. Place a layer of cubes in a colander and sprinkle with salt. Continue layering in the eggplant and salt, and set aside until the eggplant looks sweaty, 15 to 20 minutes.

Rinse the eggplant under running water, transfer to a clean kitchen towel, and pat dry.

Heat 2 tablespoons oil in a large high-sided non-stick skillet (or Dutch oven) over medium heat. Add the eggplant, and season with pinches of salt and pepper. Cover tightly with a lid and cook, stirring occasionally, until the eggplant is soft and nicely browned, 10 to 12 minutes. Remove eggplant and set aside.

Add the remaining tablespoon of oil to the skillet and add the onion and garlic with 1/4 teaspoon salt, and stir to combine. Cook until the onion is lightly golden but still crunchy, about 8 minutes. Then stir in the ginger, curry powder, coriander, turmeric, chili flakes, and lots of black pepper, and cook for 1 minute more. Once fragrant, add the cabbage, stirring well to coat. Cook 5 minutes or until a bit softened.

Next, add the chickpeas, tomato sauce, coconut milk, and browned eggplant. When the liquid comes to a boil, reduce the heat to low, cover tightly with a lid, and simmer gently for 10 minutes.

Turn the heat off and add the lemon. Taste and adjust the seasonings if needed. Serve garnished with cilantro over cooked rice or favorite grain. Enjoy!