Recipe courtesy of:
Fatfree Vegan Kitchen

Thai Eggplants and Chickpeas in Peanut Masala

Don't be intimidated by the long list of ingredients. Most of them are thrown together in the food processor and ground to a paste. This dish comes together remarkably easily, and if your eggplants are young and tender, it cooks quickly. Note that if you don't have Thai eggplants, any eggplant will do.

2 teaspoons coriander seeds
1 teaspoon cumin seeds
2 teaspoons sesame seeds
2 medium onions, chopped
2 small tomatoes
2 tablespoons natural peanut butter
2 cloves garlic
2 teaspoons ginger paste (or 1 teaspoon minced fresh ginger)
1/2 teaspoon turmeric
1 teaspoon red chilli pepper or cayenne (or to taste)
1/4 teaspoon cinnamon
1/8 teaspoon cloves
1 teaspoon tamarind concentrate (or substitute)
2 tablespoons coconut (dried, fresh, or frozen)
1/2 tablespoon agave nectar or sugar
salt to taste
10-12 small Thai or Indian Eggplants (or use one large eggplant)
1 cup cooked chickpeas

In a dry, non-stick skillet, toast the coriander, cumin, and sesame seeds until the sesame seeds begin to turn golden, about 1-2 minutes. Be careful not to burn them. Remove from pan and let cool. Then transfer to a blender or grinder and grind to a paste. (Magic Bullet owners can do this in the small jar with the flat blade.)

Add the onions to the pan and cook until they begin to brown. Transfer to a food processor and add the ground spices and all remaining ingredients except the eggplant and chickpeas. Puree to a smooth paste.

Remove the stems of the eggplants and cut them into quarters. (If you're using small purple eggplants, you may choose to leave the stem attached and cut a deep cross up through the bottom of each eggplant; if you're using a regular eggplant, cut it into 1-inch cubes.) Spray the skillet lightly with oil or non-stick spray, add the eggplants, and cook, stirring, until they begin to brown on the outside. Add the spice paste, the chickpeas, and 1/2 cup of water. Stir well and cover. Simmer, adding more water if the sauce seems to thick, until the eggplants are tender. (The time will vary depending on the eggplants you use, but count on at least 15 minutes.) Garnish with chopped parsely or cilantro, if desired, and serve over rice.

Makes 4 servings. Each serving (without salt) contains: 219 Calories (kcal); 8 g Total Fat; (29% calories from fat); 9 g Protein; 33 g Carbohydrate; 0 mg Cholesterol; 25 mg Sodium; 7 g Fiber. Note: This is a higher-fat recipe.

Copyright 2006 Susan Voisin and Fatfree Vegan Kitchen
All rights reserved.
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