Chickpeas in Tahini and Ginger

A delightfully rich and satisfying dish - you would never guess it was vegan.

Vegan. Hands-on time: 15 mins. Total time: 25 mins.

Contributed by Janey Macleod (March 2003).

This delicious dish is easy to prepare and very healthy. The chickpeas (garbanzo beans) are an excellent source of protein and fiber, while ginger is said to promote good circulation. Tahini (sesame paste) is also a valuable source of minerals; look for it in Middle East or health food shops, or on the specialty shelves of your supermarket.

Served with brown rice, this makes four portions.

Ingredients

• Oil for frying
• 1 onion, sliced
• 1 large eggplant (aubergine), cut into small cubes
• 4 to 6 medium mushrooms, sliced
• 2 cloves of garlic, minced
• 2 medium zucchini (courgettes), sliced
• A few florets of broccoli or cauliflower
• 1 knob of ginger, minced (or 1 tsp ground ginger)
• ¼ tsp. ground cumin
• 1 small (7 oz, 200 g) can of tomatoes
• 1 tbsp soy sauce
• One 14-oz (400 g) can of chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained and rinsed
• 3 tbsp. tahini
• Juice of 1 lemon

Method

Heat the oil in a pan. Add the onion, and cook until it begins to soften. Add the eggplant, mushrooms, garlic and zucchini.

In a separate pan, cook the broccoli or cauliflower in boiling water until it is tender (or, if you prefer, steam it, or cook it in the microwave). Add it to the other vegetables.

Next, add the ginger, cumin, tomatoes, soy sauce and chickpeas.

In a jug, mix the tahini, the lemon juice and enough water (about 4 tbsp.) to make a thin paste. Add this to the other ingredients, and cook for a further five minutes.

Note on quantities and temperatures:
Quantities are given in American (cups), imperial (oz, fl oz) and metric (g, ml) units. Do not mix the units - use one or other system throughout the recipe.
See also How much does a cup weigh?
oz = ounces, fl oz = fluid ounces, g = grams, ml = milliliters, tsp = teaspoons, tbsp = tablespoons.
Oven temperatures are given in degrees F (Fahrenheit) and C (Celsius).
For fan-assisted ovens, reduce the temperature by 20F or 10C.