Eggplant Chickpea Curry
Also known as Chana Masala, this warming-spice vegetarian stew is best served over aromatic basmati rice.
Prep time: 15 minutes
Cook time: 1 hour
Servings: 4-6
Spice Mix Ingredients:
½ tsp cinnamon
1 ½ tsp ground coriander
1 ½ tsp ground cumin
1 tsp turmeric
½ tsp ground cardamom
1 tsp red pepper flakes, or to taste
½ tsp black pepper, or to taste
2 tsp salt, or to taste
Ingredients:
2 cups brown basmati rice**
½ star anise, whole (plus a few stars for garnish)
2-3 cardamom pods, whole
2 medium-large eggplants, peeled and diced**
2 Tbsp olive oil
3 cloves of garlic, minced
1-inch piece of ginger, grated
1 medium onion, chopped
¼ cup tomato paste
2 15-oz cans of chickpeas/garbanzo beans
1 15-oz can of coconut milk
2 cups water or vegetable broth
1 bunch of fresh cilantro, chopped
Directions:
Bring 6 cups of water to a boil, then add brown rice. Smash the cardamom pods once with a knife (keep intact but break shell), then toss on top of the rice with ½ of a star anise. Bring back to a boil, reduce to a simmer, and cook for 30-60 minutes (until all the water has been absorbed). Remove cardamom and anise before serving.
While the rice is cooking, combine all the spices of the spice mix and salt in a small bowl and mix well. Set aside.
Heat a 12-inch skillet with a lid over medium heat. Add half of the diced eggplant and cook dry for about 7 minutes, stirring occasionally. Transfer to a bowl and set aside. Repeat the process with the rest of the eggplant and transfer it to the bowl.
Using the same skillet, heat the olive oil. Add the onions and cook over medium high heat for 5-6 minutes, then mix in garlic, ginger, and spice mix, and cook for 2-3 more minutes. Add the tomato paste and cook for 3-4 minutes stirring frequently. Add the drained chickpeas, stir gently and continue cooking for 2 to 3 minutes. Add the cooked eggplant and broth or water, bring to a boil, cover the pan and reduce the heat to simmer for 20-30 minutes.
Add the cilantro in the last 10 minutes of cooking, saving some for garnish.
To serve, scoop rice into bowls, then spoon curry over the rice. Garnish with fresh cilantro and/or star anise.
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Make it camp-friendly:
Prepare the curry in advance at home.
At your campsite, prepare rice according to package directions (substitute instant rice for quicker cook time).
Re-heat curry on your campstove, then serve with rice.
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Make it backpacking food:
**Substitute the following ingredients from the list above: instant/quick cook rice
**Chop the eggplant into extra-small cubes, no larger than 1 square centimeter.
Do not cook the rice at home.
When the curry is done cooking, blend with an immersion blender or a heat-tolerant blender. Puree completely or leave some texture, but avoid leaving any large chunks. Cut pieces of parchment paper to fit your dehydrator trays. Spread the curry in thin, even layers on the parchment paper. Dehydrate at 135F for 4-6 hours or until all the moisture is gone and stew is completely dry to the touch. Package in airtight, single serving size bags.
At your campsite, prepare rice according to package directions, but just before the rice is done (al dente), add dry curry mixture and cover with enough water to completely submerge all of the dry stew mix. Simmer, stirring frequently, until the stew thickens and rehydrates completely, adding water as necessary to reach desired consistency.