On my sumac cauliflower roast recipe post, I had mentioned that I tried recreating the Sajj (A Mediterranean food chain) falafel bowl last month. I love all the vegetarian sides that they serve, and next to sumac cauliflower, I love this eggplant ragout. Here is my Instant Pot version of it.
What is a ragout-
Ragout is a simple meat-based or vegetable-based stew, and you can see it typically served as an entree. Let’s not confuse it with ragu, which is Italian pasta sauce. While there are zillion stew varieties, today, I am going to share Mediterranean eggplant ragout, of course, inspired by the Sajj menu. I just guessed the spices and went with my instincts. It may not be a copycat recipe, but I can assure you that it’s equally delicious.
Mediterranean Eggplant Stew-
When I was researching the Mediterranean stews, I found many recipes with chickpeas like the Moroccan eggplant stew, Maghmour, or the Moussaka. And then there is Şakşuka, which is a medley of eggplant and zucchini. Oh boy, I found quite a lot of exciting vegetarian recipes with eggplant, and I can’t wait to try them all. I love exploring new cuisines. This stew of mine is more like the Greek style version sans chickpeas. I was contemplating if I should add chickpeas, but as I served my rice bowl with hummus and falafels, I skipped it. Feel free to add chickpeas or any beans of your choice. Making this dish in Instant Pot is quite easy. After sauteing onions and tomatoes to get rid of that raw taste, we need to dump everything and cook. Then mash and serve. That’s it.
I added Italian herbs, but you can add oregano alone. These herbs make it perfect for pasta also. You can serve it along with spaghetti as well. You need ¼ cup of water, and eggplant shrinks and oozes out water, so don’t add more. Now let’s see how to make this eggplant ragout in Instant Pot
How to make eggplant ragout in Instant Pot-
Set the Instant Pot in saute mode, and when it hot, add the 2 tbsp of olive oil. After 30 seconds, add the chopped onion and garlic.
Saute for 2 to 3 minutes. Now add the tomatoes, tomato puree and all the spices – ground coriander, ground cumin, paprika, salt. Mix well. Cook for two minutes and turn off the Instant Pot.
Add the chopped eggplant, Italian seasoning, and ¼ cup of water. Mix again and close the Instant Pot. Ensure the vent is in the sealing position, and pressure cook the stew for 5 minutes at high pressure.
Release the pressure naturally, and when the pressure is all gone, open the Instant Pot.
Using a potato masher or back of the spoon, mash the eggplant roughly. Garnish it with chopped parsley and serve hot.
Recipe Notes-
Adjust the spices according to your preference. Instead of Italian seasoning, you can add 1 tsp of dried oregano. A drizzle of dried or fresh mint will elevate the flavors, but I did not add it. You can add some canned chickpeas for that added protein. As we cook the stew only for 5 minutes, either canned or parboiled beans will only work.
Other Instant Pot Soups & Stews-
Bunny chow Cauliflower soup Shorbat Adas Veg kurma Mixed vegetable pasta soup
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📖 Recipe
