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Aubergine + Chickpea Moussaka
In other words - Maghmour! - a Lebanese meze of silky smooth aubergines and tender chickpeas, elevated with dried mint. It's one of those dishes that gets better overtime and can be served hot or cold as a meze.
This is an exclusive recipe from Julius Fiedler's cookbook, 'Naturally Vegan'. The original recipe uses dried chickpeas, but we've tweaked the recipe slightly to make it Bold Bean Co friendly. The aubergines can either be fried or roasted - Julius has given methods for both below.
Hit the link here to check out Julius' book for more DELICIOUS, naturally plant-based recipes just like this one.
Ingredients
2 jars Queen Chickpeas - with their bean stock, or 3 x 400g tins
2 large aubergines (roughly 800g)
500ml olive oil, for frying
4 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
2 large onions, roughly sliced
8 large garlic clove, finely grated or crushed
2 tbsp tomato purée
2 x 400g tin of plum tomatoes
1 tsp black pepper
1 tbsp dried mint
Serving SuggestionPita or flatbreads
Directions
Peel the aubergines in alternating stripes, then cut them in quarters lengthways and chop into 4–5cm (1 ¾ –2in) chunks. If you’re roasting the aubergine, see the method below, then continue onto step 3. If you’re frying the aubergine, transfer the pieces to a colander and season with 1 tablespoon salt. Place the colander in a bowl to catch any juices and set aside.
To fry the aubergines, pre-heat the 500ml olive oil in a wide saucepan at 180°C (350°F) (if you don’t have a thermometer, place the end of a wooden spoon into the hot oil; tiny rapid bubbles should form around the wood when it’s hot enough).
Meanwhile, heat the extra virgin olive oil over medium heat in a casserole dish. Add the onions and sauté until lightly golden (10–12 minutes). Add the garlic and cook for 1 minute more, then stir in the tomato purée and canned tomatoes, breaking them up with a spoon. Season with 1 tablespoon of salt and add the chickpeas with their liquid. If you’re using canned chickpeas, also add 100ml water and another teaspoon of salt. Simmer, covered, for 15 minutes.
Pat the aubergine chunks dry with kitchen paper, then fry half in the hot oil until golden (8–10 minutes), flipping them occasionally. The oil will cool down after adding the aubergine, so keep it over high heat until it comes back to temperature, by which time they will most likely have turned golden already. Transfer to a rack lined with kitchen paper and continue with the rest. You can let the oil cool off entirely, then strain it through a sieve and use it for cooking in other recipes.
Stir in the black pepper and dried mint, then fold in the aubergine chunks and add a little more water if the sauce seems dry. Simmer, covered, for 10 minutes more. Divide among bowls and serve warm or cold, ideally alongside flatbreads or pita.
To roast the aubergines in the oven, skip letting them sit in the colander first. Simply drizzle the pieces with a little olive oil, season with 1 teaspoon of salt and roast on a lined tray at 220 °C (200 °C fan/425 °F/Gas 7) for 30 minutes, or until golden.
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