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Curried Chickpeas with Baby Eggplant
Lovely, charred, baby eggplant with curried Chickpeas, served on a bed of creamy yogurt. This is my kind of lunch and I want to remember the recipe.
One of my Mom’s neighbors has a huge garden and started a text group where she puts her extra food in a cooler on her porch and then people text what they want. You pick up your produce the same day and pay what you think it’s worth using Venmo. I love that she does this and since my eggplant didn’t do very well this year, I have been trying to get some from her, but another lady claimed it all first. This week, I saw the text fast enough and claimed them for myself. Funny that I have been really excited about it.I decided to *quick soak some chickpeas this morning and then cooked them in my instant pot. Once they were done, it was lunch time. I remembered my eggplant victory and this recipe was born.
Author: Heather Prep Time: 5 minutes Cook Time: 10 minutes Total Time: 15 minutes Yield: 2 main course, or 4 sides 1x Category: Mediterranean, Vegetarian, Eggplant, chickpeas Method: Saute Cuisine: Mediterranean, Vegetarian
Ingredients
Scale 1x2x3x
6 baby eggplant cut in 1/2 or 1 regular eggplant sliced into 1/2 discs 3 T olive oil, divided Salt for eggplant 2 C cooked chickpeas or 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed 2 cloves minced garlic 1/2 tsp salt or to taste for chickpeas (this will vary depending on whether they are canned or home cooked) 2 tsp curry powder 2/3 C creamy Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt if dairy free
Instructions
Heat a 12 -inch cast iron pan or skillet on medium heat with 2 T of olive oil. Trim ends and cut the baby eggplant in 1/2 lengthwise and salt, or cut the regular eggplant in discs. I just used my salt grinder and gave them a once over (or just lightly sprinkle some salt on 1 side). Brown them deeply on both sides (about 3 minutes a side). When they are done, remove them from the pan to a cutting board (leaving the pan on). Let the eggplant cool slightly before slicing into bite size pieces.
Add 1 T olive oil to the hot pan and add the chickpeas along with the minced garlic and give it a good stir. Salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp.) and add 2 tsp. curry powder. Cook for about three minutes, stirring often and then add the eggplant back in. Turn off the heat.Smear 1/2 the yogurt in the bottom of 2 dishes and then spoon the curried chickpeas and eggplant over the top.Enjoy!
Notes *To quick soak beans, boil enough water to cover the beans by at least 4 inches. Turn off the pan, add the beans and put on the lid. Leave them for 2 hours. Cook for the same amount of time as regular soaked beans.After I quick soaked my chickpeas I drained them and put them in the instant pot, covered with 4 inches of water and added 2 pinches of baking soda. I cooked them for 12 minutes on high pressure, released the pressure, and drained them. I put the extra chickpeas in a container in the fridge to use later it the week.*My favorite Greek yogurt is plain, unsweetened, Ellenos. It’s kind of expensive, but so luscious and creamy. For less special recipes I just use the members mark Greek yogurt.
Curried Chickpeas with Baby Eggplant
Lovely, charred, baby eggplant with curried Chickpeas, served on a bed of creamy yogurt. This is my kind of lunch and I want to remember the recipe. One of my Mom's neighbors has a huge garden and started a text group where she puts her extra food in a cooler on her porch and then people text what they want. You pick up your produce the same day and pay what you think it's worth using Venmo. I love that she does this and since my eggplant didn't do very well this year, I have been trying to get some from her, but another lady claimed it all first. This week, I saw the text fast enough and claimed them for myself. Funny that I have been really excited about it. I decided to *quick soak some chickpeas this morning and then cooked them in my instant pot. Once they were done, it was lunch time. I remembered my eggplant victory and this recipe was born.
Ingredients
- 6 baby eggplant cut in 1/2 or 1 regular eggplant sliced into 1/2 discs
- 3 T olive oil, divided
- Salt for eggplant
- 2 C cooked chickpeas or 1 can chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 2 cloves minced garlic
- 1/2 tsp salt or to taste for chickpeas (this will vary depending on whether they are canned or home cooked)
- 2 tsp curry powder
- 2/3 C creamy Greek yogurt or vegan yogurt if dairy free
Instructions
- Heat a 12 -inch cast iron pan or skillet on medium heat with 2 T of olive oil. Trim ends and cut the baby eggplant in 1/2 lengthwise and salt, or cut the regular eggplant in discs. I just used my salt grinder and gave them a once over (or just lightly sprinkle some salt on 1 side). Brown them deeply on both sides (about 3 minutes a side). When they are done, remove them from the pan to a cutting board (leaving the pan on). Let the eggplant cool slightly before slicing into bite size pieces.
- Add 1 T olive oil to the hot pan and add the chickpeas along with the minced garlic and give it a good stir. Salt to taste (I used 1/2 tsp.) and add 2 tsp. curry powder. Cook for about three minutes, stirring often and then add the eggplant back in. Turn off the heat.
- Smear 1/2 the yogurt in the bottom of 2 dishes and then spoon the curried chickpeas and eggplant over the top.
- Enjoy!
