Eggplant meets chickpeas in this legume-filled version of Baingan Bharta. Spicy, aromatic, and downright delicious!
Sometimes when a recipe is truly great, I find I have little to say other than “Make this.” So, if you like Indian food in general and Baingan Bharta in particular, make this. It’s as good as or better than what you’ll find in a restaurant but without a lot of oil or, possibly, butter and it’s certified delicious by my resident eggplant-hater.
Before you run off to the kitchen, let me admit that yes, I made baingan bharta and basically added chickpeas to it. Laziness is the reason, my usual desire to get vegetables and protein all into one dish so that I don’t have to make side dishes.
In this case, I could have used some sides because this dish was so mouth-watering, so appetite-inducing, and yet so light that we were all three still hungry after we’d polished off the 4 average-sized servings. So plan to either double the recipe or make some side dishes. I suggest Red Cabbage and Peas with Cumin and Mustardseed, Baked Spinach Kofta, Palak Tofu, Bhindi Masala, or any of my Indian recipes.
Finally (boy, I just can’t shut up), I really need to point out that you can get all of the essential ingredients at almost any supermarket, but if you have an Indian grocery store nearby, you’ll be able to find asafetida and ginger paste there. Neither is a necessity, but I find the ginger paste to be a big time-saver, as well as a recipe-saver when all my fresh ginger root seems to have become dried up, gnarled, and downright scary in my fridge.
You’ll also find fresher garam masala in an Indian store than you will in a supermarket, but not as fresh as if you make it yourself; see the end of the recipe for ingredients before you head out on your shopping trip.
Eggplant and Chickpea Curry
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 medium onion , chopped
- 1/2 red bell pepper seeded and diced
- 1 1/4 teaspoon cumin seeds
- 1 1/4 teaspoon ground coriander
- 1/2 teaspoon turmeric
- 1/8 teaspoon asafetida (or 1 clove garlic, pressed)
- 1 14-ounce can diced tomatoes (fire-roasted preferred)
- 2 teaspoons ginger paste or minced ginger root
- 1/2 teaspoon cayenne or other hot red pepper (less or more, to taste)
- 1 15-ounce can cooked chickpeas , rinsed and drained (or 1 1/2 cups)
- 1/2 cup water
- 1/4 cup minced parsley or cilantro
- 1/4 teaspoon garam masala (start with less and add more to taste)
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 400F. Prick eggplant with a fork several times and place on a baking sheet. Bake for 40-45 minutes, until eggplant is sunken and soft all the way through. Remove from oven and set aside until cool enough to handle. Peel and chop the eggplant flesh.
- Heat a non-stick skillet. Add the onion and cook until it begins to turn golden. Add the bell pepper and cook for a few more minutes. Clear a spot in the center of the skillet and sprinkle the cumin seeds directly on the hot surface. Stir and toast them for about a minute, until they become fragrant. Stir them into the onions and peppers and add the coriander, turmeric, asafetida (or garlic), tomatoes, ginger paste, and red pepper.
- Add the eggplant and cook over medium heat, pressing eggplant with the back of a spoon to break up large pieces, for about 10 minutes. Add the chickpeas and enough water or chickpea cooking liquid to keep the mixture moist, cover tightly, and turn heat to low. Cook for at least 15 minutes, stirring periodically, until sauce has thickened and flavors have blended. (You can hold this dish on low for up to 45 minutes while you prepare the rest of your meal, but add additional liquid as needed and don’t forget to stir, scraping the bottom.)
- Just before serving, add parsley (or cilantro), garam masala, and salt to taste. Serve with rice or Indian bread.
Notes
Nutritional info is approximate.
Please Pin and share!
Natalie
January 23, 2012 at 8:57 pmYou said, “Make this!”
I said, “Okay!”
I’m so glad we both said what we said. This is DELICIOUS! I followed the recipe to the letter, except I found once I got home from the grocery that my garlic was too dry, so I subbed garlic powder. My car smelled so good from the bulk garam masala I picked up at my local co-op…I knew I would love this recipe. It has such a nice balance of heat, brightness, body, and lightness.
I’m looking forward to trying more recipes from your blog!
Susan Voisin
January 23, 2012 at 8:59 pmSo glad you listened to me! 😉
Natalie
January 23, 2012 at 9:36 pmI’m willing to be you’re not as glad as me and my tummy are right now. 🙂
Jen
January 26, 2012 at 10:09 amCan I substitute ground ginger for ginger paste?
Susan Voisin
January 27, 2012 at 6:56 amYou could add about 1/2 tsp. along with the other dry spices.
Melissa
January 28, 2012 at 12:24 amI love your site. This recipe looks great but I really wanted to comment on the gorgeous dishes!
I freeze my fresh ginger as is and then take it out and grate it with a rasp. Perfectly fresh!
Chuck Aversa
February 1, 2012 at 2:07 pmThis is a great recipe. My wife and I enjoyed it very much. We had it over brown basmati rice. I told my wife a few weeks ago I was going to make a chick-pea recipe once a week until I can’t find any more I like and then I’ll start using the same ones over. This one definitely will be repeated.
Christina
February 12, 2012 at 5:31 pmWow! This was so good! Easy and the favors were fantastic! So glad I found this site Susan….you are a genius in the kitchen. I spent all day Saturday making 4 of your recipes and they simply blew me away. I also made your eggplant parm, the gabbage dish you mentioned above and the creamy creole eggplant casserole!
Kat
May 9, 2012 at 12:46 pmJust made this last night- was delicious- and so healthy! Thanks for posting!
Rob D
July 16, 2012 at 9:29 pmI made this for dinner tonight. The eggplant pretty much disappeared into the dish but it was delicious! Even my almost-8-year-old son liked it, but he is an abnormally good eater. We’ll make it again.
Lisa Neff
September 23, 2012 at 1:03 pmI LOVE the eggplant and chickpea curry recipe! I’m making it for the 3rd Sunday in a row. Do you have any recommendations on how to shorten the cooking time? The eggplant takes quite a long time to cook. Do you think replacing it with thinly sliced squash would yield a similar result (cooking it in the skillet with the red pepper)?
Thank you for your blog! I have loved all the recipes I’ve tried, and it has made being vegan a bit easier!
Peace and Love,
Lisa
Rosemary Evergreen
October 4, 2012 at 9:16 amI found this to be better on the second night after reheating, and with a spoon of miso stirred in after cooking was completed.
Grace Maguire
October 8, 2012 at 1:21 pmPresentation of this eggplant and chickpea curry is beautiful will go out tomorrow and get ingredients . Be back to you with results.
Apru
October 28, 2012 at 11:00 pmVery good! Could be made for guests! I recommend putting the chickpeas in with the tomatoes as I thought they were a little hard. Another option would be to crush them lightly before putting them in.
anita
December 16, 2012 at 6:30 pmThis is the second time making this! It is so delicious.thank you
Hellie
January 28, 2013 at 2:50 amGreat recipe. I didn’t know you could cook an eggplant whole in the oven, then the skin falls off & you are left with delicious moist flesh. I have only ever drowned eggplants in oil to cook them. I’m so happy to have stumbled across your website. I look forward to continuing my cooking education with you!
mark
January 29, 2013 at 6:15 pmvery nice recipe,i love indian food its the best
i always tinker with recipes so this was no exception
added
2tbl tomato paste to sweeten
10 curry leaves and 3 tsp curry powder
10 cardomom pods
1tsp fenugreek seed and 1 tsp fennel seed
2 veg bulllion cubes
im sure it changed everything but it was a big hit with the vegan in the family
Yiorgo
March 26, 2013 at 1:19 pmIt’s just amazing..
I added few zuccini, but they were mismatch..
It was sooo delicious thank you!
Shannon D.
July 12, 2013 at 8:57 pmThis was amazing. The only issue I had was peeling the eggplant after I roasted it. Will try doing it before, however the dish still came out amazingly. Glad to have found this website and can’t wait to make your other dishes.
sherri
January 20, 2014 at 4:26 amis it possible to use ground cumin instead of the seeds, since that’s what i have? would it make a huge difference in the outcome of the recipe? thank you.
Susan Voisin
January 20, 2014 at 7:31 amThe seeds give it a different layer of flavor, but if you don’t have them, you can just add about 3/4 tsp. of ground cumin along with the other ground spices (no need to toast the ground cumin).
Jean Heath
January 29, 2014 at 3:36 amWhy is it either — 1/8 teaspoon asafetida (or 1 clove garlic, pressed) when they are completely different kinds of foods.
Tami@NutmegNotebook
January 29, 2014 at 11:46 amI am so glad you posted about this on Facebook today. I just bought 2 eggplants yesterday and was wondering what to make with them!
Robert Wenom
January 29, 2014 at 2:45 pmLove your recipes, my wife subscribes. Many call for spices in whole seed form, ie, cumin, cardamom, etc. I’ve always used ground spices for convenience and thought it actual gives more flavor per dollar. What am I missing??
Susan Voisin
January 29, 2014 at 3:59 pmHi Robert. For most things, ground spices are fine and probably cost-effective. But there are advantages to whole spices. For one thing, as soon as you grind a spice, it begins to lose flavor. The delicate oils that carry the flavor are volatile when exposed to air, and they immediately begin to lose potency. If you ever have a chance, compare the tastes of whole and ground cumin, and you will see what a huge difference there is.
Much of the flavor of Indian dishes like this comes from layering flavors. So the milder flavor of ground cumin (in the garam masala) is stacked on top of the more powerful and complex flavor of the whole spice. The whole seeds also lend a more concentrated flavor whenever you bite into one so that one bite tastes different from the next. So for Indian food, I really think that whole cumin, at the very least, is essential and other whole spices are good if you can get them. If there’s an Indian grocery store near you, you will find their prices very affordable (much less expensive than supermarket spices.)
Mina
December 12, 2014 at 5:04 amThanks for sharing this recipe! I made it for a dinner party and it was delicious. Super useful for non-vegans to add to their suitable-for-all-dinner-guests repertoire.
Olivia
January 12, 2015 at 10:22 pmI made this last night and all I can say it YUUUUUM!!! I came across your recipe when I was searching for an Eggplant curry as I have a new found obsession with Eggplant….and curry…
I try to stick to exact measurements when I’m cooking but when it comes to adding the spices, I end up just throwing in what I feel would work (or what looks like it could possible be 1/4 tsp, but ends up being more like a whole tbsp…). Either way, I’m definitely pinning this recipe to my Pinterest and will make it again for my housemates as they were drooling over it when I was cooking it this first time!
The Elf
February 1, 2015 at 10:47 amThis will be our first Elf-fort in our joint project. Excited to try this. I love eggplant and I think Big Solid will be pleasantly surprised!!
Michele
August 4, 2015 at 9:39 amHi, Susan,
My local produce delivery brought Japanese eggplant this week and I’m dying to try them. Do you think they’d work in this recipe and, if so, would I cook the same?
They’re smaller than a traditional eggplant.
Thank you!
Susan Voisin
August 4, 2015 at 10:53 amI think you can do it with Japanese eggplants. Just use several of them and start checking them after they’ve baked for 10 minutes–they’ll get done more quickly than a large eggplant. The one thing that worries me is that there is a higher skin to “flesh” ratio for small eggplants, so you may have to use quite a few and it won’t be as easy peeling them.
Martha
October 5, 2015 at 3:31 pmSusan, those dishes are BEUTIFUL!!!
Carin
January 6, 2016 at 7:43 amThis was fantastic!!! I will be making this again and again. Thank you for sharing.
Kimberly
April 3, 2016 at 12:26 amI can’t wait to try this tomorrow-sounds delish! We love cooking Indian food and this sounds perfect to go along with a few other dishes for dinner.
Just a tip to avoid “gnarled” ginger in the bottom of the crisper drawer: put it, skin on, in a freezer bag in your freezer. Whenever you need fresh ginger, peel the skin off the portion you need with a vegetable peeler, and then grate the exposed portion, frozen, on a cheese or micro plane grater. Voila! You have fresh grated ginger perfect for measuring out or making into a paste. You can also slice or dice frozen ginger with a sharpe knife and use it the same way you would fresh. Happy cooking!
Kimberly
April 3, 2016 at 12:30 amOops, just saw that someone else suggested the freezer ginger trick waaaay up in the comments. Please feel free to delete my previous message, but thanks for the great recipe.
Susan Voisin
April 3, 2016 at 12:33 amA good tip always bears repeating. Thanks for commenting!
Janet Jones
August 13, 2016 at 6:31 pmI recently made this and it was delicious. I served it over quinoa. The only thing I did differently was use an immersion blender on it before adding the cilantro, as that’s how we always ate it in our fav Indian restaurant. Great job Susan!
Rahul Hacker
January 29, 2017 at 10:14 pmI made the cabbage and Spring peas with cumin and mustard seed it was beautiful and yummy love it … Keep it up 🙂
jem
January 30, 2017 at 7:35 pmI’m not sure how you got yours to look so lovely. After adding the diced tomatoes mine looked more like sauce and less like piece of red pepper, chickpeas and eggplant. All mine were covered with the tomatoes and looked mushy even though they weren’t really. The flavor though was spectacular! We love Indian food….thank you so much.
Aniket
April 6, 2017 at 12:33 amThanks for Sharing this Amazing Recipe Susan! I am Indian and I know how delicious ‘Baigan Bharta’ be like.
I will surely try Making Eggplant & Chickpea Curry This time. Seems Yum!
Lisa
July 1, 2017 at 4:35 pmWow – just SO yummy!!!! As someone who is gently pulling herself from eating meat, I often find myself thinking”oh that’s yummy…just needs some chicken” as I try vegetarian/vegan recipes. NOT THE CASE for this DELICIOUS dish!!! The complexity of the spices and the wonderful textures are so satisfying! I’ll be making this again and again!!!
Jessica
July 13, 2018 at 5:49 pmDo you think this would be good served cold, at a pot luck, like a salad?
Susan Voisin
July 14, 2018 at 11:05 amI think it’d be fine but probably better room temperature rather than cold.
Sue
January 4, 2019 at 12:17 amHi. This sounds perfect for my new year health kick, as a veggie/vegan that’s been over indulging !!
Could I make this in a slow cooker if I toast the spices first to release the flavour a bit before adding to the Crockpot?
Susan Voisin
January 4, 2019 at 7:40 amI’m no expert on crockpot cooking, but it sounds like that might work. To be on the safe side, you might want to bake the eggplant first, as in step 1.