Summer Stew

Mirj's Note:

It's summer. The sun doesn't set until after 8 PM. You want something light, but you also want something filling. A little vegetable stew can go a long way. Created for RSC Summer 2005.

• Total Time: 1 hrs
• Prep Time: 15 mins
• Cook Time: 45 mins

Ingredients:

Servings: 6

• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1 medium onion, coarsely chopped
• 4 large garlic cloves, minced
• 1/2 red bell pepper, chopped (no so coarsely, not so fine)
• 4 teaspoons ground cumin
• 1 teaspoon ground turmeric
• 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper flakes (or to taste)
• 1 medium eggplant, unpeeled, cut into diced
• salt and pepper
• 1 lb ripe tomato, diced
• 1/2 cup water
• 1 (15 ounce) can chickpeas, drained (or two cups cooked chickpeas)
• 3/4 lb green beans, trimmed and cut into 1 inch pieces
• 2 tablespoons chopped fresh cilantro

Directions:

1. Heat the oil in a heavy stew pan. Add the onion and saute over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until it begins to brown.
2. Add the garlic, pepper, cumin, tumeric and pepper flakes. Cook for one minute, stirring.
3. Add the eggplant to the pot. Sprinkle with salt and pepper. Cook over low heat, constantly stirring, until the eggplant is covered in the spices.
4. Add the tomatoes and bring the mixture to a boil.
5. Add the water, stir it into the mixture.
6. Cover, simmer over low heat, stirring often, for about 20 minutes.
7. Add the chickpeas and the green beans.
8. Simmer for 10-20 minutes more until everything is tender and the stew is thick.
9. Taste and adjust for seasoning.
10. Serve hot, sprinkled with the cilantro.

Reviews

[PamC]

This was great! I used a can of diced tomatoes instead of the fresh, added some salt, and used about a cup more water over the course of the simmering to make it a bit soupier. I served it with a little lemon squeezed over as well as the cilantro.

[Rhiannon&Matt.gauci]

Brilliant Mirj! We didn't have any eggplant on hand, so we used 1 med potato as a substitute and added frozen broccoli. More water was needed, so we just added a bit here and there whenever it started to thicken up. Served with pita pockets.