Spiced Seared Eggplant With Pearl Couscous
- Total Time
- 30 minutes
- Rating
- Comments
- Read comments
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Ingredients
- 1teaspoon ground cinnamon
- ½teaspoon ground cumin
- ¼teaspoon ground cayenne
- Kosher salt and ground black pepper
- 1½cups pearl couscous (also called Israeli couscous)
- ⅓cup extra-virgin olive oil
- 2cups cubed eggplant with skin (about 1 small eggplant)
- 1medium yellow or white onion, chopped
- 2garlic cloves, minced
- 1tablespoon tomato paste
- 1medium tomato, diced, or 1 cup canned diced tomatoes
- ¼teaspoon smoked paprika
- ¼cup freshly chopped parsley
- Yogurt, for serving (optional)
Nutritional analysis per serving (4 servings)
452 calories; 19 grams fat; 3 grams saturated fat; 0 grams trans fat; 13 grams monounsaturated fat; 2 grams polyunsaturated fat; 60 grams carbohydrates; 6 grams dietary fiber; 5 grams sugars; 10 grams protein; 490 milligrams sodium
Note: The information shown is Edamam’s estimate based on available ingredients and preparation. It should not be considered a substitute for a professional nutritionist’s advice.
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Preparation
- Step 1
In a small bowl, combine cinnamon, cumin, cayenne and ½ teaspoon salt.
- Step 2
Heat a heavy pot (2 to 3 quarts) with a tight-fitting lid over medium until hot but not smoking. Add couscous and toast, stirring often, until golden and fragrant, about 3 minutes. Transfer toasted couscous to a bowl.
- Step 3
Add oil to pot and raise heat to medium-high. When it shimmers, add eggplant, onion, ½ teaspoon salt and ¼ teaspoon pepper and cook, stirring often, until onions are softened and golden and the eggplant is browned and slightly shrunken, 8 to 10 minutes. Add garlic and stir just until fragrant.
- Step 4
Add tomato paste and the prepared spice mixture and cook, stirring, 1 minute. Stir in toasted couscous, tomato and 1½ cups water, cover, reduce the heat to low and simmer until the couscous has absorbed all the liquid, 8 to 12 minutes. Turn off the heat and let rest 2 minutes. Uncover, stir in paprika and parsley, then taste and adjust the seasoning with salt. Serve immediately and dollop with yogurt, if desired.
Private Notes
Comments
I thought the flavors were excellent but I struggle with my eggplant absorbing to much oil when I cook it so I decided to roast it until slightly tender in the oven with a little olive oil and salt and pepper first and then added it to the onion mixture to finish cooking . I reduced the oil slightly with the onions and it came out delicious.
Can this be cooked ahead and reheated?
Made recipe verbatim and it’s quite good. I’d been worried about that much cinnamon, but it all comes together nicely in the end. Next time I’ll add more eggplant; seems like you could add a cup, or even two.
Add some chopped green bell peppers and finish off with a few sprinkles of Ras Al Hanout spice. This dish is lovely alone with a fresh green salad or served alongside slow cooker short beef ribs.
Absolutely delicious. I would adjust the cayenne down a little bit in case you're cooking for someone with low tolerance to spicy foods. Also, I needed to add about a cup more of water than the recipe calls for in order to fully cook the couscous. This one is definitely going on the rotation!
To make this dish GF, substitute Quinoa for the Couscous. Toast the Quinoa as you would the couscous but be careful not to burn. Use 1 1/2 cups of Quinoa to 3 cups of water or veg stock. Also, roasting the eggplant, as previously suggested by another commenter, makes for a less oily dish. Great flavors and we had for a day or two afterward as leftovers warmed in the uwave.
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