Spiced Chickpea and Eggplant Stew with Tahini and Herbs

Cut eggplant into 2cm cubes, toss with 1 tsp salt, and let drain in a colander for 15 minutes to remove bitter liquid.

Drain and rinse chickpeas. Dice tomatoes. Finely chop onion and mince garlic. Juice the lemon and roughly chop parsley.

Warm olive oil in a heavy-bottomed pot over medium heat. Add diced onion and cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and translucent, about 8 minutes.

Add minced garlic and cook 1 minute until fragrant but not browned.

Add cumin, paprika, cinnamon, turmeric, remaining salt, and black pepper to the pot. Stir constantly for 60 seconds to bloom the spices in the oil until deeply aromatic.

Pat eggplant dry with paper towels and add to the pot along with diced tomatoes. Stir to coat everything in the spiced oil.

Pour in chicken broth, add chickpeas, and bring to a gentle simmer.

Cover partially and cook for 20-25 minutes until eggplant is tender and stew has thickened slightly.

In a small bowl, whisk tahini with 2 tbsp lemon juice and 2 tbsp warm water until smooth and pourable.

Remove stew from heat. Drizzle tahini sauce over the surface and scatter fresh parsley.

Serve in wide bowls with flatbread or over white rice, offering extra lemon wedges on the side.