Eggplant on Braised Chickpeas

Ingredients

• 1 (15-ounce) can of tomatoes
• 1 cup of water
• 1 chipotle in adobo
• 1 (15-ounce) can of garbanzo beans, rinsed
• 1 bunch of kale, ends trimmed and chopped
• Salt
• 1 teaspoon ground cumin
• 1 eggplant, trimmed and sliced horizontally
• 2 tablespoons olive oil
• 1/4 cup crumbled cotija cheese
• 1 tablespoon minced cilantro

Instructions

1. 1
   To a blender, add the can of tomatoes, water and chipotle in adobo. Blend until very smooth. Pour into a medium skillet, set over medium heat, along with the garbanzo beans, kale and a few pinches of salt. Bring to a gentle simmer and cover, cooking for about 15 to 20 minutes. Give it a taste and adjust the salt to your liking. I added a few more liberal pinches of salt.
2. 2
   Sprinkle the eggplant slices with a few pinches of cumin. To a medium skillet, set over medium heat, add the olive oil. When the oil is hot, add the sliced eggplant and cook on both sides for about 2 to 3 minutes. Sprinkle with salt and transfer on top of the garbanzo beans. Repeat until you’ve cooked all of the eggplant.
3. 3
   Garnish the dish with the minced cilantro and cotija cheese.