Aubergine Chickpea Stew with Mint Sauce
Oven-roasted eggplant and fennel meet chickpeas, tomatoes, dried apricots and a splash of coconut milk. The result is a wonderfully spiced vegetable and chickpea stew, served with a fresh mint and yogurt sauce – perfect for an easy, warming dinner.
- Prep Time: 10 minutes
- Cook Time: 30 minutes
- Total Time: 40 minutes
- Yield: 3 servings
Ingredients
- 1 large eggplant
- 1 fennel bulb
- 1 red or white onion
- 2–3 garlic cloves
- 4–5 dried apricots or dates (optional)
- 1 can (14.5 oz / 400 g) diced tomatoes
- 1 can chickpeas (about 1 ½ cups / 240 g drained)
- ¾ cup + 2 tbsp (200 ml) canned coconut milk
- ⅔ cup (150 ml) vegetable broth or water
- 2 tsp ground cumin
- 2 tsp ground coriander
- ⅛ tsp ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp sweet paprika
- Salt and black pepper, to taste
- 1–2 tbsp lemon juice
Mint Yogurt Sauce
- ½ cup (130 g) unsweetened soy or coconut yogurt
- 16–18 fresh mint leaves
- A little parsley (optional)
- ½ tbsp lemon juice
- ¼ tsp salt
- Black pepper
Instructions
- Preheat oven to 375°F (190°C).
- Prepare the vegetables: Cut eggplant and fennel into bite-sized pieces. Dice onion and finely chop dried apricots.
- Roast the eggplant: Toss eggplant with 1 tbsp aquafaba (or oil), ¼ tsp salt, and pepper.
- Spread on a lined baking sheet and roast for 25 minutes.
- Cook the stew base: In a large pot, sauté onion with a splash of water or oil and a pinch of salt for 4–5 minutes until translucent.
- Add garlic and spices, cook for 1 minute until fragrant.
- Stir in tomatoes and 1 tsp salt, cover, and simmer for 5–7 minutes.
- Add drained chickpeas (optionally mash some slightly).
- Stir in coconut milk and vegetable broth and let simmer.
- Roast the fennel: About 10–15 minutes before the eggplant is done, add fennel to the baking sheet and roast until tender.
- Combine and season: Add roasted vegetables and chopped apricots to the stew.
- Stir well and season with lemon juice, salt, and pepper.
- Make the mint sauce: Blend all mint sauce ingredients until smooth and season to taste.
- Serve stew with rice or couscous and drizzle with mint yogurt sauce.