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!
Lizabet
February 2, 2011 at 9:38 amThe eggplant and chickpea curry was so tasty that I plan to go back and check out your other Indian recipes. I can always count on FFV for recipes that my husband will enjoy. Thanks.
Sarah
February 2, 2011 at 10:04 amWe made this last night and really enjoyed it. Since we had roasted the eggplant the night before while doing some other baking, the recipe came together in no time! I couldn’t believe how good it was without salt. Thanks!
Mrsflex
February 2, 2011 at 7:07 pmThis was delicious!! It reminded me of an Indian dish I ordered out recently that was extremely oily. This one tasted just as good if not better. My husband does not like eggplant but you’ve provided me with yet another recipe he has devoured no problem. I realized halfway through making this that I was out of chickpeas so I subbed pinto beans and it turned out fine. Had this a dinner one night and served as an appetizer dip with pita chips the next night.
Delishhh
February 2, 2011 at 11:08 pmLove Indian food but i don’t cook it enough. This sounds like a great recipe. Also i am new to your site and love it.
Bert
February 2, 2011 at 11:35 pmI made this on Monday, and it barely lasted to Tuesday. I did add an extra dash of curry powder and some lemon juice, and it was superb! I love me some curry Susan! Thank you once again! (I’m sure you get tired of hearing that)
-Bert
SusanV
February 3, 2011 at 8:10 amHa, never! Thanks for the feedback, Bert! I’m so glad you liked it.
cz
February 3, 2011 at 8:50 pmI must say, I made this dish and it was DIVINE!!!
THANK YOU SUSAN!
zenobia
February 4, 2011 at 9:33 pmThis looks soooo YUM! Love the crockery..Is that a tea cup you served it in? 🙂
Cheers,
Zenobia
@Raw_Vegan_Girl
SusanV
February 4, 2011 at 9:50 pmThanks! No, not a teacup–just a small bowl.
mac1000
February 4, 2011 at 11:07 pmI love ur blog. thanks.
JessE
February 5, 2011 at 11:32 amI just made this and this is fantastic. My hubby proclaimed this is one of the best Indian dishes he’s eaten. We love Indian and Mediterranean dishes. THANK YOU! This is going to added to our regularly made recipes….well, basically anthing off of your site can be considered that!
Amy
February 7, 2011 at 8:39 amI tried this recipe over the weekend, and we absolutely loved it. It is spectacular. We also loved the Bok choy and Baked Tofu with quinoa. I very much enjoy your blog and find myself returning to it again and again for recipe ideas.
S
February 13, 2011 at 8:47 pmHi: My first visit to your blog, but won’t be my last. Lovely pictures. Very clever idea to add chickpeas to baingan bharta to make the dish more hearty.
One question: why parsley? That’s not an Indian ingredient at all. Definitely use cilantro! Thanks! S
SusanV
February 13, 2011 at 9:13 pmI don’t like cilantro so I never use it. I present it as an optimum because it’s traditional, but if I actually put it in the dish, I couldn’t eat it. Tastes like soap!
S
February 15, 2011 at 7:52 amWhat an unfortunate affliction, to imagine that cilantro tastes like soap – I guess you know what soap tastes like 🙂
That really cuts the enjoyment of Indian, Mexican, Thai, etc food.
Anyhow, instead of parsley, which does not at all go with the flavor profile of Indian food, you could instead recommend finely chopped Thai basil. A much better match.
SusanV
February 15, 2011 at 7:58 amIt’s not “imagination,” but a genetic trait that many of us have. Instead of parsley or thai basil (which most people don’t have), people who don’t like cilantro can just leave it out.
Dyan
February 20, 2011 at 9:42 pmI’ve read that celery leaves also make a good cilantro substitute, since they taste a lot like cilantro to people who do like it, and they also taste good to people who don’t.
SusanV
February 20, 2011 at 9:58 pmThanks, Dyan, that’s good to know. I’ve always wondered what cilantro tastes like, but I’ve never heard a very good description. When it tastes like soap to you, it’s very hard to imagine it tasting like anything else!
Ashley
February 22, 2011 at 1:22 pmI second that, Susan! Soapy cilantro is not my imagination! And science agrees: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/04/14/dining/14curious.html
Can’t stand the stuff but my family loves it so I have been trying to sneak it into my own food in small doses. It doesn’t make me gag like it used to, but still not a fan.
Dyan
February 20, 2011 at 9:46 pmMmm. I only had cumin seeds in my panch phoran mix, so rather than separate them out i just used the panch phoran. A success, for sure. Thanks, Susan! (I should really thank you twice because you’re the reason i have panch phoran on hand, too. So, thanks again!)
Lois Gowen
February 21, 2011 at 11:49 amI laughed when I read that you ate the whole recipe. We always serve curries over rice, then it might last for the servings listed. I agree, it is very tasty. Thanks for all the work you go to and share with us. My husband thinks I am a great cook thanks to your sharing.
Get Skinny, Go Vegan.
February 27, 2011 at 10:04 amLove the eggplant, and especially not using the oil that is too often smothering it!! I have been making eggplant in the slow cooker, which works great because it breaks itself down, creating the liquid needed to cook it. Great to see healthy vegan food!!
Fiona
February 28, 2011 at 4:17 amI doubled this recipe for my family by using twice as much eggplant and chickpeas but then forgot to double up on the spices so it came out quite bland. I also used ground cumin instead of seeds and didn’t have asefetida so that may have also hindered the flavor. I will try again following the recipe correctly lol.
Deanna
March 4, 2011 at 6:36 pmThis is delicious! A new favorite. Thanks for sharing.
Ellery
March 7, 2011 at 3:49 amKeep ginger root in the freezer. When you need it, just scrape skin off with a paring knife and grate it up on the fine grater. It lasts forever in there and you’ve always got fresh ginger handy.
SusanV
March 7, 2011 at 7:55 amThanks! Someone else suggested this and I’ve been doing it ever since. It’s a real money-saver!
Kerstin
March 8, 2011 at 3:07 pmI absolutely love your recipes! And furthermore, your pictures are excellent. This is somewhat unique for vegan recipe websites, it’s very seldom that I find such an excellent resource. I just wanted to thank you and let you know how awesome this blog is. Good luck & best wishes
Kerstin
SusanV
March 8, 2011 at 3:53 pmThank you for the kind words, Kerstin! I love doing it!
Healthy&Homemade
March 14, 2011 at 12:02 amI have been craving curried eggplant lately! This looks amazing =)
Mrs Bok
March 22, 2011 at 5:01 amThank you! Have a glut of eggplant from the garden and will definitely try this!
Christopher Kandrat
March 23, 2011 at 9:23 pmGreat dish, I love curry and chickpeas are one of my fav beans.
Danielle
March 29, 2011 at 11:23 amOk this receipe looks delicious!!!! but one random question- where did you get those dishes in the picture? they’re beautiful !
SusanV
March 29, 2011 at 11:29 amThat’s a pattern called Kashmir by Noble Excellence. I bought them at Dillards, but I think you can probably get them in other department stores, too. I got lucky and found them on sale. 🙂
Leslie
April 4, 2011 at 11:04 pmI made this in the crockpot and it turned out great!
I first sauteed the onions and spices. (For some reason I dislike the taste of onions cooked from raw in a crockpot. They’re weird, right? Or is that just me?) Then just chopped up the rest, gave it a stir and cooked it overnight on low.
I skipped the parsley and added the Garam Masala in the morning.
Fantastic!
Leslie Galloway
April 15, 2011 at 4:59 pmI keep fresh ginger in the freezer and chop of a chunk or grate as needed. Much better than bottled and last a long time.
Kimbie
May 1, 2011 at 8:40 pmMade this for supper tonight – DIVINE!! Thanks for your blog – we’re really enjoying the recipes.
Eileen
May 5, 2011 at 10:39 amI made this dish last night and it is absolutely fabulous. I have two suggestions: add 3/4 tsp of salt, and cut the cayenne by half. I served it over brown rice. Really terrific. I would love more Indian recipes like this one.
alana
May 9, 2011 at 12:24 pmI was able to locate all seeds to make homemade garam masala EXCEPT cardamom…I have the powder of that and the rest of the ingridients so do you have an already grounded alternative to this recipe?
SusanV
May 9, 2011 at 1:02 pmJust use two teaspoons of ground cardamom and it should be fine.
alana
May 10, 2011 at 11:57 amI don’t have the cumin seeds either 🙁 how much powder would I use?
SusanV
May 10, 2011 at 11:59 amUse 1 tsp. cumin seeds in both the main recipe and in the garam masala.
Jeff
May 22, 2011 at 5:05 pmGreat recipe! One change I’d make is to use fresh rather than canned tomatoes. I find that with Indian recipes, using canned tomatoes tends to give the dish too tomato-ey a flavor.
Kurt
June 30, 2011 at 7:28 pmJust made this…. had some small eggplants from a coworkers garden and this worked wonderfully (even if the smaller eggplants were a bit harder to work with then one large one would have been).
My wife and I both loved it, and even our three year old ate some without complaint (I did not add any hot pepper to the dish while it was cooking).
Julie & Marty
August 4, 2011 at 9:30 pmMade this tonight and I loved it. Served it over rich with a side of Garlicky Greens and roasted beets. My husband doesn’t like chickpeas or eggplant, but he still said it was good and would eat it again, I loved it and will definately make it again.
Laina
August 4, 2011 at 11:15 pmSusan, I want to make this, but have Japanese eggplant growing in my garden. How many do you think I should use to make 1 large eggplant?
Also, my lemon grass is growing nicely in my garden. I planted it so I could try your Thai Green Curry recipe since we don’t have an Asian marker here. Do you remember how much volume or weight that 3 stalks equals out to?
Thanks so much!!! 🙂
SusanV
August 4, 2011 at 11:22 pmIt’s just a guess, but depending on the size of your Japanese eggplants, 3 or 4 will probably equal 1 large one. It’s a pretty forgiving recipe, so I wouldn’t worry too much about getting it exact.
And I’m also not sure about the lemongrass–maybe 4 to 6 ounces?
I wish I were growing lemongrass but I haven’t found any here yet.
Laina
August 4, 2011 at 11:42 pmOkay, great! I saw another recipe for eggplant curry and yours looks so much more flavorful. I should be able to make it tomorrow. I have 4 eggplants ready to pick.
And thanks for the weight estimate for the lemon grass. I’m so sorry you can’t find it there. I bought mine in the spring so maybe that’s when they have it in stock.
An article online says that you can purchase lemon grass from an Asian Market and root it in water and once the roots are 2 inches long you can plant it in the ground or in a pot.
Here’s the link in case you’re interested. http://www.easytogrowherbs.com/Growing-Lemon-Grass.html
SusanV
August 5, 2011 at 7:32 amThanks so much for the link! I’ll check it out and see if it’s too late to plant it here.
For the green curry recipe, I used lemon grass that had been trimmed to fit into a 5- or 6-inch long package in the grocery store. I think I still needed to remove some outer leaves, so 4-6 ounces may be on the high side. I wish I’d thought to weigh it before I added it! Please let me know how it comes out.
KBeane
August 4, 2011 at 11:16 pmI made this tonight and it was great! I went a bit nontraditional and ate it over shirataki noodles just to make the meal a bit lighter, but it worked. I also added fresh, diced jalapenos.
My husband is normally very suspicious of eggplant, but he liked it as well.