Lebanese-Style Eggplant and Chickpea Stew

This spiced stew of eggplant, onion, chickpeas and tomato paste is a simplified version of Lebanese maghmour, a dish also known as moussaka (but is different from Greek moussaka). The eggplant for maghmour often is fried before it meets the tomatoey base, but by broiling it instead, along with the onion, we save time as well as oil (spongy eggplant readily soaks up fat during frying). While the eggplant is in the oven, we brown an entire can of tomato paste on the stovetop—a step that, in a few brief minutes, helps build deep, rich, slow-simmered flavor. A garnish of cilantro and toasted almonds adds fresh herbal notes, color and texture. Serve this vegan stew warm or at room temperature with flatbread or rice. To simplify cleanup, line the baking sheet with foil before spreading the eggplant on top.