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.
