Eggplant Tomato and Chickpea Tagine

A tagine is a North African stew cooked in a shallow, conical clay pot that goes by the same name. This particular chunky vegetable dish is warmly spiced like a tagine and features the common North African pairing of sweet and tart ﬂavors. For extra depth and a touch of spiciness, swirl a spoonful of harissa into the tagine just before serving or offer some at the table for spooning on to taste. Serve with crusty bread, warmed ﬂatbread or couscous to soak up the delicious sauce. Don’t shortcut the prep by leaving the tomatoes whole. Slicing 2 pints of grape tomatoes may take some time, but this step helps the tomatoes break down and cook at the same rate as the eggplant

Cuisine

African

Course

Dinner, Main Course

Difficulty

Easy

Duration

30-60 min

Diet

Egg Free, Plant-Based, Vegan, Vegetarian

Cooking Technique

Pressure Cook, Sauté, Slow Cook

Keywords

30-60 min, 4-6 servings, african, can chickpeas, Chistopher Kimball, contributed, cook 35 min, dinner, easy, egg free, eggplant, extra-virgin olive oil, grape or cherry tomatoes, ground cinnamon, ground cumin, kosher salt and ground black pepper, lemon juice, lightly packed fresh cilantro, main course, medium garlic cloves, medium yellow onion, plant-based, prep 10 min, pressure cook, sauté, slow cook, sweet paprika, tagine, vegan, vegan recipes, vegetarian, vegetarian recipes, ﬁnely grated fresh ginger

Prep Time

10 min

Cook Time

35 min

Servings

4-6 servings

Ingredients

1/4 cup extra-virgin olive oil
4 medium garlic cloves
1 medium yellow onion
2 pints grape or cherry tomatoes
4 tsp ﬁnely grated fresh ginger
1 1/2 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp sweet paprika
1/4 tsp ground cinnamon
Kosher salt and ground black pepper
2 lbs eggplant
15 1/2 oz can chickpeas
1 tbsp lemon juice
1 cup lightly packed fresh cilantro

Instructions

START: On a 6-quart Instant Pot, select Normal/Medium Sauté. Add the oil and garlic, then cook, stirring often, until the garlic is golden brown, about 4 minutes. Add the onion, tomatoes, ginger, cumin, paprika, cinnamon, 2 1/2 teaspoons salt and 1 teaspoon pepper. Cook, stirring occasionally, until the tomatoes begin to release some of their juices, 2 to 4 minutes. Press Cancel, then stir in 1/4 cup water, scraping up any browned bits. Gently stir in the eggplant, then distribute in an even layer.
Fast: Lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to sealing. Select Pressure Cook or Manual; adjust the pressure level to Low. Set the cooking time for 3 minutes. When pressure cooking is complete, quick-release the steam by moving the pressure valve to Venting. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.

--Or--

Slow: Select More/High Sauté and bring the mixture to a boil. Press Cancel, lock the lid in place and move the pressure valve to Venting. Select Slow Cook and set the temperature to Less/Low. Set the cooking time for 5 to 6 hours; the tagine is done when the tomatoes have broken down and the eggplant is very tender. Press Cancel, then carefully open the pot.
FINISH: Gently stir in the chickpeas and lemon juice, then taste and season with salt and pepper. Stir in the cilantro. Serve drizzled with additional oil and with lemon wedges on the side.