Hot, Sweet, & Sour Chickpeas with Eggplant

Tuesday night's dinner requirements...quick (it was a long day), with protein (David's request because we had just worked out), & uses eggplants (I had some from last week's CSA share).  A perusal of the legumes chapter in Mark Bittman's How to Cook Everything Vegetarian led to a 45 minute eggplant & chickpeas dish.  I served it on top of quinoa (for added protein), & it even made enough for Wednesday's lunch.

Hot, Sweet, & Sour Chickpeas with Eggplant

Mark Bittman calls for 3 cups of freshly cooked chickpeas 2 cups of their cooking liquid.  All I had was a 14oz. can of chickpeas, & I don't really think it made a difference.

3 tablespoons neutral cooking oil

2 fist-sized eggplants, chopped into bite-size pieces

2 serrano peppers, seeded & chopped

1 Hungarian wax pepper, seeded & chopped 

1 tablespoon fresh ginger, peeled & minced

1 can chickpeas, with liquid

2 tablespoons light brown sugar

1 tablespoon curry powder

1 teaspoon tumeric

juice from 1/4 of a lemon

salt & pepper to taste

1.  Heat oil over medium-high heat in large skillet.  When hot, add eggplant & cook, stirring occasionally, for 10 minutes (or until eggplant is lightly browned).

2.  Add all peppers & ginger, & cook one minute.

3.  Add chickpeas with their liquid, brown sugar, curry, tumeric, & lemon juice.  Sprinkle generously with salt & pepper, & bring liquid to boil.  Simmer gently for about 10 minutes or until eggplant is tender & sauce has thickened.

I served this over quinoa, but it would also be good with rice or some kind of flatbread.

Makes 3-4 servings.