RECIPE | Lebanese aubergine and chickpea stew

In local chef Sophia Lindop's wonderful new cookbook, Going Home – Food and Stories from Lebanon, The Land of my Forefathers, this dish is called 'Mischu's mom's aubergine and chickpea stew'.

"I met Mikhael – or Mischu, as we like to call him – here in Cape Town," Lindop explains. "Mischu is married to the beautiful Angelique and owns afew Lebanese eateries around town."

Serves: 10 to 12

Ingredients:

1kg aubergines

500ml (2 cups) canola oil, for frying (plus a little extra)

1.5kg ripe tomatoes

3 medium onions, peeled and roughly chopped

5 cloves garlic, peeled

400g can chickpeas, drained and rinsed

200g tomato paste

3g chilli powder (optional)

Salt to taste

125ml (½ cup) water

15ml (1 tbsp) dried mint

Method:

1. Peel the aubergines, keeping a third of the peel - just because it looks much nicer. Quarter and sprinkle with salt and set aside for 20 minutes. Pat dry with paper towel.
2. Heat the oil in a skillet and fry the aubergine chunks in batches until golden brown. Drain on paper towel.
3. Cut a cross into the bottom of each tomato and cover with boiling water. Leave for a few minutes so that the skin pulls away. Remove the peel and chop finely. Set aside.
4. Heat the extra oil in a heavy-bottomed pot and saute the onions until translucent.
5. Add the garlic and chickpeas and saute for a few minutes.
6. Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, chilli powder and salt and cook for 5 minutes.
7. Add the water and bring to the boil.
8. Arrange the aubergines in the bottom of the pot and sprinkle with the dried mint. Reduce the heat to low, cover and simmer for 25-30 minutes.
9. Serve warm or cold.

• 'Going Home – Food and Stories from Lebanon, The Land of my Forefathers' by Sophia Lindop is published by Annake Müller Publishing. The book retails for R450, but Sunday Times Lifestyle readers can purchase it for the discounted price of R400 by e-mailing annakem@mweb.co.za