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Curried Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

Curried Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

By Calvin CoxDecember 10, 2021

  • Makes
    4 to 6 servings
  • Cook Time
    40 minutes
  • Rating

This stew is a much-simplified version of Indian chole baigan, an eggplant and chickpea curry. Instead of using a slew of spices, we reach for only curry powder, but we build depth of flavor by cooking the tomato paste and curry in oil until the mixture begins to brown. And to speed along the cooking, we make the sauce on the stovetop while browning the eggplant and onion under the broiler. Canned chickpeas also make the stew a breeze to prepare. The best tool for shaving wide zest strips from the lemon is a Y-style peeler, but try to remove only the colored skin without taking much of the bitter white pith just underneath. Serve the curry with warmed naan and basmati rice.

Tip

Don’t drain the chickpeas of their liquid. We add the starchy liquid to the skillet along with the chickpeas to create a rich, stewy consistency.

Ingredients
  • 1

    pound eggplant, trimmed and cut into 1-inch cubes

  • 1

    medium red onion, halved and thinly sliced

  • 4

    tablespoons grapeseed or other neutral oil, divided

  • 2

    tablespoons curry powder, divided

  • Kosher salt and ground black pepper

  • ¼

    cup tomato paste

  • 15 ½

    ounce can chickpeas (do not drain)

  • 3

    3-inch-long strips lemon zest, plus 2 tablespoons lemon juice

  • ½

    cup lightly packed fresh cilantro, chopped

Step 1

Heat the broiler with a rack about 6 inches from the element. In a large bowl, toss together the eggplant, onion, 3 tablespoons of oil, 1 tablespoon of curry powder and ½ teaspoon each salt and pepper.

Distribute in an even layer on a rimmed baking sheet and broil until the eggplant is softened and spotty brown, 12 to 15 minutes, stirring once about halfway through.

Step 2

Meanwhile, in a 12-inch skillet over medium, heat the remaining 1 tablespoon oil until shimmering. Add the remaining curry powder and the tomato paste, then cook, stirring, until the paste begins to brown, 1 to 3 minutes.

Stir in the chickpeas with their liquid, ¾ cup water and the lemon zest. Bring to a simmer and cook, uncovered and stirring occasionally, until the liquid has reduced slightly and a spoon drawn through the mixture leaves a trail, about 10 minutes; if the mixture becomes dry and thick as it cooks, stir in a few tablespoons additional water.

Step 3

Off heat, remove and discard the lemon zest. Stir the eggplant-onion mixture and the lemon juice into the chickpea mixture. Taste and season with salt and pepper. Transfer to a serving dish and sprinkle with the cilantro.

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