Originally an Arabic recipe for a casserole-type dish, a woman revised this recipe to be created on the stovetop. I thought this sounded interesting, so here we are! This was a little bit different than the “norm” of stews because of the eggplant, but it ended up pretty close to chili. So, if you want a great chili recipe, just minus the eggplant and wah-la! Or, leave the eggplant in and you can feel culturally diverse in your kitchen. 🙂
- 2 eggplants
- 1/2 lb ground beef (I used a whole pound….who thaws half of a pound? Oh, I also used ground turkey instead…healthy substitution!)
- 1 onion, chopped
- 1 teaspoon salt
- 1/2 teaspoon pepper
- 1 teaspoon allspice
- 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon
- 1 (16 ounce) can chopped tomatoes
- 4 tablespoons tomato paste
- 2 cups water
- oil (for frying) – I used vegetable oil
- Peel and cut eggplant into 1 1/2 inch cubes.
- Sprinkle with salt in a colander, shaking to mix. Wait 10 minutes to 1/2 hour, then blot the excess moisture from the eggplant with paper towels.
- Fry in oil until soft and golden brown and set aside.
- Meanwhile, brown ground beef in a large pot. Add onion and cook until onion is soft. Then, toss in your spices and sauté for a few minutes.
- Add fried eggplant, tomatoes, tomato paste and water.
- Simmer for 1/2 hour to an hour, adding more water if necessary. (I did.)
Delicious!
Printable version here!
