Recipe courtesy of Moosewood Restaurant Favorites (St. Martin’s Griffin, 2013), by the Moosewood Collective
Ingredients
- ¼ cup extra virgin olive oil
- 2 cups chopped onions
- ½ tsp. salt
- 2 garlic cloves, minced or pressed
- 1 tsp. ground turmeric
- 1 tsp. ground cinnamon
- ½ tsp. cayenne or red pepper flakes
- ½ tsp. paprika (sweet, hot, or smoked)
- 4 cups peeled and cubed sweet potatoes (1- inch cubes) (2 large, about 1-1/2 pounds)
- 2 cups water
- 1 15-ounce can diced tomatoes
- 3 cups cubed eggplant (3⁄ 4-i nch cubes) (one 1- pound whole eggplant)
- 1 cup seeded and chopped bell peppers (any color)
- 2 cups chopped zucchini or yellow squash
- 1 15-ounce can chickpeas, undrained (about 1-1⁄ 2 cups beans)
- pinch of saffron
- ½ cup currants or raisins
- 1 to 2 Tbs. fresh lemon juice
Directions
- In a stew pot, warm olive oil on medium-low heat. Add onions and salt, and cook, covered, for 5 minutes. Stir in garlic, turmeric, cinnamon, cayenne, and paprika, cover, and cook 3 or 4 minutes.
- Add sweet potatoes, stir in water, bring to a vigorous simmer, and cook 5 minutes. Add tomatoes and eggplant, cover, and simmer for 10 minutes, stirring often.
- Add bell peppers, zucchini, chickpeas, saffron, and currants. Cover and simmer, stirring often, until sweet potatoes and eggplant are tender, about 15 minutes.
- Stir in lemon juice to taste.
Yield: 6-8 servings