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Fried Eggplant With Chickpeas and Mint Chutney

In this gently spiced vegetable dish, baby eggplant slices are first fried until golden, then braised with chickpeas, tomatoes and garam masala until soft, velvety and richly flavored. A quickly made fresh mint chutney adds a complex, herbal, spicy note thanks to the jalapeño in the mix. Serve this over rice or with flatbread as a main course, or on the side of grilled meats or fish.

Ingredients

For the eggplant:

  • 2pounds baby or small Italian eggplant, sliced into 1/4-inch-thick rounds
  • Fine sea salt, as needed
  • 3 to 4tablespoons extra-virgin olive oil, more as needed
  • 1large white onion, halved and thinly sliced
  • 2garlic cloves, minced
  • 1 ½teaspoons garam masala
  • ½teaspoon sweet paprika
  • ¼teaspoon black pepper
  • ⅛teaspoon cayenne
  • 1pound ripe tomatoes, chopped (about 2 cups)
  • 1 ¾cups (one 15-ounce can) cooked chickpeas, drained and rinsed if canned

For the mint chutney:

  • 1cup mint leaves
  • 1cup cilantro leaves and tender stems
  • 1serrano or jalapeño pepper, seeded and roughly chopped
  • 1scallion, cut into 1-inch lengths
  • 1garlic clove, roughly chopped
  • 2teaspoons lemon juice, more to taste
  • ¼teaspoon fine sea salt, more to taste
  • Plain yogurt, for serving (optional)
  • Nutritional Information
      • Nutritional analysis per serving (2 servings)

        777 calories; 31 grams fat; 4 grams saturated fat; 18 grams monounsaturated fat; 5 grams polyunsaturated fat; 108 grams carbohydrates; 37 grams dietary fiber; 36 grams sugars; 28 grams protein; 2051 milligrams sodium

    Note: Nutrient information is not available for all ingredients. Amount is based on available data.

2 to 3 servings as a main course, 4 to 6 as a side dish

Preparation

  1. Season eggplant slices all over with salt. Heat a large skillet over medium-high heat, then add 1 tablespoon olive oil and heat until it thins out in the pan. Add enough eggplant slices to fit in one layer without overlapping. Cook until the bottoms are browned, then flip and continue to cook until well browned and soft, 3 to 5 minutes per side. Add more oil if needed. Transfer cooked eggplant to a plate lined with paper towels, and repeat with more oil and eggplant until all the eggplant is cooked. Taste eggplant and add more salt if necessary.
  2. Heat another tablespoon of oil in pan, then add the onions. Cook until softened and golden, about 4 minutes. Add garlic and cook until fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes longer. Add spices and cook for 1 minute, then add tomatoes, chickpeas and 2 tablespoons water.
  3. Partly cover the pan and let the mixture simmer until tomatoes start to break down, 10 to 15 minutes. Add eggplant to the pan and cook for another 5 to 10 minutes, until sauce thickens.
  4. While the eggplant cooks, combine all the ingredients for the chutney in a blender with 2 tablespoons water. Blend until puréed, about 1 minute. Taste and add more lemon juice or salt, or both, if needed.
  5. Serve the eggplant topped with the chutney and yogurt if you like.

45 minutes

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