MOROCCAN ZAALOUK SPICED EGGPLANT AND TOMATO STEW

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I have been dreaming of this dish for so long and finally after much toil and experimentation it's here.

Eggplant is a popular vegetable- technically it's a fruit, but like the tomato, an eggplant is generally treated like a vegetable - used in Mediterranean and Middle Eastern cooking and whenever I travel abroad, I always try to order at least one eggplant dish- simply because I love to see how other cultures prepare eggplant. I try to study the spice mixtures and cooking methods to see how they create such delicate, perfectly seasoned dishes.

This recipe is a hearty stew inspired by the flavours of a Moroccan dish called Zaalouk- a delicious warm salad owf cooked eggplant, tomato garlic, olive oil and spices - a common side dish to Mediterranean and Middle Eastern meals, and is usually served as a dip with crusty bread.

I added chickpeas to mine to make it more of an entree to be served over rice,  it's near perfection. 


INGREDIENTS 

  • 1 large eggplant peeled and chopped into bite - size pieces 
  • 4 large tomatoes, peeled, seeded and chopped 
  • 1 cup cooked chickpeas rinsed and drained 
  • 3 cloves of garlic , finely chopped 
  • 1/3 cup chopped fresh cilantro and parsley mixed
  • 1 tbsp chilli powder 
  • 1 tbsp ground cumin 
  • 1 1/2 tsp salt 
  • 1/8 tsp cayenne pepper 
  • 1/4 cup olive oil 
  • 1/3 cup water 
  • Small wedge of lemon  (optional )

HOW TO MAKE IT 

  1. Preheat oven to 425 degrees F (218 C) and line a large baking sheet with parchment paper. 
  2. Add diced eggplant, drizzle with olive oil and sprinkle with salt.  Toss to coat and toast for 30-35 minutes,  flipping / tossing near the 20 minutes mark.
  3. In the meantime, heat a large pan or pot over medium heat. Once hot add 2 tablespoons olive oil and onions. Sauté for 4-5 minutes,  stirring frequently or until soft and slightly caramelised. 
  4. Add garlic, cumin add paprika and stir to coat. Cook for 1 minute more.
  5. Add tomatoes and their juices as well as a little water. Cover and bring to a simmer over medium low heat. 
  6. Remove roasted eggplant from oven and add eggplant to the tomatoes and chickpeas. Stir to combine and cover. Simmer over medium low heat for another 10 minutes to allow flavours to deepen.
  7. Taste and adjust flavours as needed, adding chilli to balance the heat and salt to taste. 
  8. Serve over rice or pasta with wedges of fresh lemon and fresh chopped parsley or cilantro.

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Cheers and happy eating!!!!!

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