Eggplant Tomato & Chickpea Curry
My husband really loves Indian Food. Before we met, I had never tried it. Well, real Indian Food that is. Sure my mom had made some form of curry chicken surprise but never anything that could be considered close to authentic Indian food.
I was living in Florida, He was living outside of Nashville, TN. I flew to Tennessee and spent the weekend with him. One evening, we went out for dinner to Ruth Chris Steakhouse but the wait was over 90 minutes so we opted to go somewhere else. He took me to an Indian Restaurant just around the corner from the Steakhouse. I was hesitant. Ok more like resistant. Thinking to myself, “We should go back, I’m not sure I’m going to like this curry stuff. If the food is bad, the date is going to be ruined.” Being on my best “newly dating” behavior, I decided to give it a try and I was hooked immediately. I still remember my first bite. My taste buds were doing the Happy dance. Spices and Flavors I had never tasted before. That first date was over years ago and we have eaten Indian food hundreds of times since.
This is my twist on Indian Eggplant Bhurtha which is eggplant + tomatoes + onion + spices and thats really it. I decided to add some chickpeas to the dish making it a little heartier and to stretch it out since I was feeding a few extra people.
Eggplant Tomato & Chickpea Curry is a delicious and filling dish that is perfect for a cozy night in or a family dinner. This curry is packed with flavor and wholesome ingredients, making it a perfect choice for vegetarians or those looking to incorporate more plant-based meals into their diet.
This curry can be customized to suit a variety of dietary needs. For those following a gluten-free diet, be sure to check that your curry powder and other seasonings are gluten-free. If you are looking to increase the protein content of the dish, consider adding in some diced tofu or tempeh along with the eggplant. For those looking to reduce the fat content, you can use less oil when sautéing the eggplant or use a non-stick pan instead. If you are doing the lo-carb thing, just leave out the chickpeas/garbanzo beans and add a protein. It is still a tasty dish. You could also turn this into a delicious soup with the addition of some vegetable stock.
This Eggplant Tomato & Chickpea Curry is a versatile dish that can be served on its own as a hearty main course, or alongside some fluffy basmati rice or warm naan bread for a complete meal. No matter how you choose to enjoy it, this curry is sure to become a new favorite in your recipe repertoire!
Since I ended up with tons of eggplant & tomatoes from a Farmers Market trip, I decided to make a double batch. We ate some for dinner and canned the rest for a super quick meal in the future. This recipe LOVES to be canned!!! Quick, easy, Only a few ingredients & super healthy!
EGGPLANT, TOMATO & CHICKPEA CURRY
Ingredients
- 2 Tb olive oil
- 1/2 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 large eggplant chopped into 1 inch cubes
- 1 medium onion diced
- 5 medium tomatoes chopped
- 1 can chickpeas drained
- 2 garlic cloves minced
- 1 tsp tumeric
- 1/2 tsp curry
- 1/4 tsp sea salt
- handful of cilantro or parsley chopped
- salt and pepper to taste
Instructions
- In a large pot, fry the cumin seeds in the olive oil over low heat while stirring for 1 min.
- Increase the heat, add the eggplant & onion, and let cook for about 8-10 minutes just until it begins to soften.
- Add the tomatoes and cook for another 10-15 minutes.
- Add the tumeric, curry, salt and stir the mixture.
- Let simmer for 8 minutes.
- Stir in the cilantro or parsley and salt and pepper to taste.
