Eggplant & Chickpea Curry

with tomatoes and basil … adapted from Real Simple (and my sister)

When my family gets together, no matter what the occasion, the conversation always turns towards food. It’s been a very sad past couple weeks for my family, with my uncle’s battle with cancer, then the funeral. My sister was worried about my dad, so she went over to visit mom and dad and took a few ingredients along with her to make them a special meal.

I heard about this special meal first from my mom and dad who described how good it was and how sweet my sister was to make it for them, and then from my sister, who described why she chose this recipe for mom and dad, what she brought along and how she made it. She chose it because dad doesn’t like cilantro (which so many curry recipes use) and this recipe features fresh basil. Mom and Dad aren’t vegetarians, but they love vegetables, especially fresh garden eggplant and tomatoes, and we’ve had an abundance of both this year.

I told my sister that this sounded really good, and asked my sister where she found the recipe. It was easy to find, so as soon as I got home, I decided to make my sister’s cheer-us-all-up curry. I know it cheered up mom and dad and it helped me cheer up a little too. Every time I ate it, I thought of my sister and my mom and dad and how very much I love them all andI love the way that food ties us together.

Eggplant & Chickpea Curry with Tomatoes & Basil

• Prep Time: 15 minutes
• Cook Time: 40 minutes
• Total Time: 55 minutes
• Yield: About 4 servings 1x

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Ingredients

Scale 1x2x3x

• 1 tablespoon olive oil
• 1 eggplant (about 1 pound), cut into 1/2-inch pieces
• 1 teaspoon oil
• 1 onion, peeled & chopped
• 2 cloves garlic, peeled & chopped
• 3 – 4 small sweet peppers, stems & seeds removed, chopped into chunks
• 1 small hot pepper (such as a jalapeno), stems & seeds removed, chopped fine (optional)
• 1 lb. tomatoes, chopped (or cherry tomatoes, halved)
• 2 – 4 teaspoons curry powder (use more or less, to your liking)
• 1 15.5-ounce can chickpeas, drained
• 1/3 – 1/2 cup fresh basil leaves, chopped
• 1/4 cup plain non-fat yogurt (preferably Greek), optional

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Instructions

1. Preheat the oven to 350 F. Spray a baking sheet with cooking spray or line with a silicon mat. Peel the eggplant if you like, then chop into 1/2 inch pieces. Toss with the olive oil then spread out onto the baking sheet in a single layer. Sprinkle with Red Robin Seasoning (or salt and pepper). Bake at 350 for about 15 – 20 minutes or until the eggplant is tender, but not mushy.
2. Meanwhile, chop the onion, garlic, and peppers. In a wok or large nonstick skillet over medium heat, add the oil, then the onion, garlic and peppers and saute until the onions are soft and translucent.
3. Add the tomatoes, curry and eggplant. Cook and stir for about 8 minutes or until the tomatoes break down a bit and the mixture smells fragrant. Stir in the chickpeas and cook for about 3 minutes longer, or until heated through. Remove from heat and stir in the basil leaves. If you want a saucier curry, add some water, then adjust salt & pepper to taste.
4. Serve over hot, cooked basmati rice, with a dollop of plain Greek yogurt and fresh basil leaves for garnish.

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Notes

RECIPE SOURCE: http://www.sumptuousspoonfuls.com/

© Copyright 2014, Sumptuous Spoonfuls. All images & content are copyright protected. Please do not use my images without prior permission. If you want to publish any of my images, please ask first. If you want to republish this recipe as your own, please re-write the recipe in your own words or link back to this post for the recipe.

This recipe was shared at Gluten Free Friday, Weekend Potluck, Munching Monday, Treasure Box Tuesday, Totally Talented Tuesday, Simple Supper Tuesday, Real Food Friday, What to Do Weekends and Bloggers Brags Pinterest Party.