Eggplant with Toasted Chickpeas and Tahini Sauce

Roasted eggplants are a bed for flavor.  Here we scatter toasted, spiced chickpeas and fresh parsley along with a scatter of tahini sauce to bring out the innate depth of roasted eggplant.
2 medium eggplants, sliced 1/2-inch
Olive oil for basting the eggplants

1 can chick peas, rinsed and drained
1/2 tsp red pepper flakes

Chick pea dry seasonings:
1/2 tsp cumin powder
1/2 tsp chili powder
1/2 tsp coriander powder
1/4 tsp cayene pepper
1 tsp Kosher salt
1 tsp brown sugar

Sauce:
1 clove garlic
1/3 cup tahini
1/3 cup Greek yogurt
juice of 1 lemon or lime
1/4 cup water, additional if needed
1/4 tsp salt
Dash cayenne pepper to taste

Palmful fresh parsley, minced

Preheat oven to 425F. Lightly oil 2 rimmed baking sheets. Lay eggplant slices on baking sheets and baste with olive oil. Roast in oven for about 20 minutes. Turn over and roast another 15-20 minutes, until the slices are browned and cooked through.

Meanwhile, toss the chick peas in a large non-stick skillet with a dash of olive oil and the red pepper flakes.

Cook for about 5 minutes over medium-low heat, stirring every once in a while. Add the chick pea dry seasonings and stir well.

Cook over medium heat to toast the chick peas in the seasoning for about 10 minutes. Then turn heat to low and keep warm.

Make the tahini sauce by pulsing the garlic in a small food processor until very well minced. Add remaining sauce ingredients and blend well.

Adjust consistency with more water if necessary, and adjust seasoning with salt and cayenne pepper.

Lay out eggplant disks on a serving platter. Sprinkle with a bit of tahini sauce.

Scatter chick peas about the eggplant slices and garnish with parsley. Serve with additional tahini sauce on the side.

Serves 4.

Cook’s Note: This is nice served with a side of a rice pilaf. Here we just glanced some cauliflower, broccoli and green beans, and stir fried with leftover rice-quinoia pilaf in a ratio of a bout 4:1.