Eggplant Chickpea Tikka Masala

A super fragrant, tasty and very easy side dish or vegetarian main meal which is dairy and gluten free. A great veggie version of the classic tikka masala. Besides chickpeas, you can also use peas or kidney beans. I airfryed the eggplants, but if you prefer a lovely char and smoky flavour, then cooked the eggplants in a griddle pan.

	Masala Sauce
600 g Eggplants, cut into thick strips or squares Sea salt 3 Garlic cloves, minced 2 tsp Minced ginger 1 tsp Garam masala 1 tsp Kashimiri red chilli powder 1 tsp Coriander powder 1 tsp Cumin powder ¼ tsp Cinnamon powder ¼ tsp Ground cloves 2 tbsp Olive oil 1 tin / 400 g Chickpeas, drained Cilantro or parsley, to garnish	5 tbsp Ghee 1 Large onion, finely chopped 1 tsp Sea salt 1 tbsp Finely grated ginger 1 tbsp Finely chopped garlic 1-2 tsp Kashimiri red chilli powder 1 tbsp Garam masala 2 tsp Coriander powder 2 tsp Cumin powder 1 tsp Turmeric powder 300 ml Tomato passata 300 ml Water 100 ml Coconut cream F resh cilantro leaves, to garnish

Cut the eggplants into thick strips or squares and place them in a large bowl. Sprinkle with 1 tablespoon of sea salt. Massage the salt into the eggplants and set aside for 20 minutes. Rinse the eggplants and pat them dry with kitchen paper.
Mix the eggplants with minced garlic cloves, ginger, garam masala, chilli, coriander, cumin, cinnamon powders, ground cloves and olive oil. Cover and let marinate for 2 hours in the fridge. Cook marinated eggplants in your airfryer for 20-25 minutes until tender and cooked through. You need to do this in batches. Alternatively, cook them in a large skillet with some olive oil.
Meanwhile prepare the sauce. Melt the ghee in a large skillet over medium-high heat. Add in onion and salt. Saute until aromatic. Then add in ginger and garlic. Saute again for 30-60 seconds until it smells aromatic.
Lower the heat and add in remaining spices. Cook briefly and stir well. Add in tomato passata and cook over medium-high heat until the mixture turns thick, about 2-3 minutes.
Pour in water and bring it to a boil. And let it simmer for 10-12 minutes until it has reached to a thick gravy consistency, stirring occasionally. Use a stick blender to puree the sauce until smooth. Stir in coconut cream and cook a couple of minutes until everything is well mixed.
Return eggplants and chickpeas to the sauce and let cook for a futher 5 minutes. Garnish with chopped cilantro or parsley and serve with plain steamed rice.

15 comments:

DEZMOND 27/10/25 13:07: Bet one breathes fire after eating it LOL
Anonymous 27/10/25 13:57: This is a big yes please from me!
Tandy (Lavender and Lime) https://tandysinclair.com
Judee 27/10/25 14:10: Angie, this sounds and looks delicious, and I really love the pretty colorful bowl.
Ananka 27/10/25 14:22: Looks great. I love eggplants and chickpeas so much :-D
Tom 27/10/25 14:23: ...yummy!
Benita James 27/10/25 14:31: I am sold on this dish, the fact you could pair it with rice.
Kathy G 27/10/25 14:40: YUM!
Linda's Relaxing Lair 27/10/25 15:49: Very nice 👌
eileeninmd 27/10/25 16:00: Looks delicious and sounds very healthy!
Take care, enjoy your day and have a wonderful week.
Ben | Havocinthekitchen 27/10/25 16:16: Such a vibrant and flavour-packed dish, Angie! I love how the tender eggplant and chickpeas come together in that rich sauce.
Pam 27/10/25 17:13: It sure looks flavorful and delicious.
Rainbow Evening 27/10/25 17:22: I love eggplants..... sound great to combine with chickpeas...
yummy
Pantherka 27/10/25 17:38: So it looks delicious.
I like both eggplant and chickpeas, but this combination didn't occur to me.
roentare 27/10/25 21:29: The dish looks so flavoursome
Emma Loabez 27/10/25 21:39: I loved this dish. The spices you used give it a fantastic touch.
Have a great week. 😘