Braised Eggplant Stew

Our Braised Eggplant Stew offers home cooks and chefs alike a delicious vegetarian alternative to dinner, with the eggplant emerging as the star of the show. The combination of split peas, sweet onions, cherry tomatoes, and eggplant, of course, contrasts one another to perfection for a well-balanced and flavorful meal.

Our Heritage Oval Casserole is the only piece of cookware you’ll need for this recipe, braising the eggplant until it is perfectly tender. This versatile piece of cookware comes equipped with a tight-fitting lid to lock in heat and moisture, ensuring the eggplant absorbs all the rich aromatics and spices from the ingredients. Top this recipe off with salted yoghurt, pickles, fresh fine herbs and feta cheese, and enjoy! 

Our Braised Eggplant Stew is a hassle-free recipe that can elevate traditional meal preparation. Be sure to serve this dish up alongside fresh bread, green salad, or basmati rice for a complete meal. This recipe can be prepared in under two hours, serving up to four portions at a time. Here are all the ingredients you’ll need along with the steps to follow before tackling this recipe! 

Split peas

Cook split peas in 500 mL of water until tender but not fully cooked. Skim as needed.

Depending on the brand or even the age of the split peas, it can take anywhere from 15 minutes to sometimes 45 minutes to cook. Check frequently for doneness.

When peas are tender, but still al dente, drain and set aside.

Chickpeas can be used instead of split peas for a less traditional twist.

Eggplants & Sauce

Wash the eggplants and cut into fairly small halves. Set aside.

Heat a drizzle of sunflower oil in your favourite Dutch Oven over medium heat.

Brown your cherry tomatoes (always on the vine, no big deal if a few fall off) and set them aside; they will be served as a garnish at the end.

Add the remaining 200 ml of sunflower oil and heat over medium heat.

Start browning the eggplants (eggplant can sometimes absorb a lot of cooking oil; add more if needed to get a nice browning on the

pieces). Set aside.

Caramelize the onions in the same oil until they are soft and golden.

Add the chopped garlic and spices and sauté a little.

Add the tomato purée and 2 cups (500 mL) of water.

Bring to a boil, add the salt, and reduce the heat to a gentle simmer for 45 minutes in a 325˚F oven or on the stovetop.

Assemblage

Add the split peas and gently drop the eggplant into the sauce

Cover your casserole dish and finish cooking for 20 minutes, until you have a rich, but not too thick sauce. At this point, the peas will be tender and the eggplant will be cooked.

Add saffron (if using), lime juice and salt to taste. Garnish with the cherry tomatoes and serve from the oven to the table directly with the side dishes of your choice.

Recipe courtesy of Joon