Khoresh Bademjan (Persian Eggplant & Tomato Stew)

There's a paragraph in one of the Hitchhiker's Guide books that expounds on stew being the first meal the first human cooked.  It's pretty much true.  The older the cuisine, the more likely the dish was slow-braised in a pot.

For Purim this year, I flat-out googled "Vegan Persian Dishes", then chose this one, an eggplant and tomato dish from The Spruce Eats.  It's a basic, spiced stew that could easily have been on Esther's table thousands of years ago.

To bring some protein to the party, I served it over rice with red lentils.  Yes, more red lentils.  It's generally presumed that lentils were a staple of Esther's diet.  Couscous or quinoa are good grain bases too, except that quinoa was only known in the Americas at that point and I didn't want to mix up my references.  Well, I guess tomatoes were unknown in the Middle East in ancient times too.  Whatever.

This really is going to take you at least an hour to make.  Um, stew.  Much of it is passive time, and also depends on how thoroughly cooked you like your eggplant.  Hey, you got to save a bunch of effort by using canned tomatoes.

1-1/2 lbs eggplant (about 2 medium)
kosher salt as needed
1/4 C olive oil
1 large yellow onion
3 cloves garlic, minced
*1 tsp cumin
*1/2 tsp turmeric
*1/2 tsp cinnamon
1 28oz can whole, peeled tomatoes, drained
1/2 C water
1/4 C pomegranate molasses (or 3/4 C pomegranate juice and no water)
*pinch saffron (optional)

1.  Peel the eggplant and cut into 1" chunks.  I don't think I've ever peeled a raw eggplant.  It isn't easy.  Think I need a new peeler.  Place pieces into a large colander and sprinkle with kosher salt to start drawing out the water.  Set it aside to do its thing while you move on.

2.  Peel onion, quarter the long way, and cut into thin slices.  In a large, deep skillet with a lid, heat 2 Tb oil over medium-high heat.  Add onion and sauté until translucent and just starting to brown, about 8 minutes, stirring frequently.

3.  Add garlic, cumin, turmeric, and cinnamon.  Stir until fragrant and onion is coated, 1 minute.  Check on the eggplant during that minute.  If there's a lot of water on the pieces, blot with a paper towel.  If not, dump them into the skillet.  Add the other 2 Tb oil and cook the eggplant, stirring frequently.  It will start to cook down in about 10 minutes.

4.  Add tomatoes, water, molasses, and saffron to the skillet.  Break up the tomatoes and let them release their juice into the mix.  Stir to combine and bring to a low boil.  Cover, turn down the heat to medium low, and simmer until the eggplant is done.  Stir every 5 minutes or so, to check for doneness and to keep any spots from overcooking.  I let it cook about 20 minutes, but I like really mushy eggplant.  This is a good time to make your rice, couscous, or quinoa.

5.  Serve hot over starch of choice.  I garnished with cilantro, because I really like it.  If not doing the vegan thing, you could add a dollop of plain yogurt or sour cream to cut the spices.

Difficulty rating :)