Recipe: Israeli Couscous and Chickpeas with Curried Eggplant and Sweet Red Pepper - a dish that's even better as leftovers

I made the couscous as one would make a risotto. The result was a beautiful, subtle, nutty flavor that, unfortunately, was totally lost with the strong flavors of the vegetables.

Therefore making it as one would make a risotto is not worth the extra fuss. I recommend just cooking the couscous according to package instructions, perhaps in chicken or vegetable stock.

The following recipe was originally inspired by the food blog Citron & Vanille, but I changed their recipe considerably.

Israeli Couscous and Chickpeas with Curried Eggplant and Sweet Red Pepper

Time: 45 minutes

Yield: 7-8 cups

Ingredients

3/4 cup dry (uncooked) Israeli couscous

4 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil

1 globe eggplant, peeled and cut into 1-inch pieces (about 6 cups)

1 red bell pepper, cut into large diced pieces

2 teaspoons garlic

1 (about 12-ounce) can chickpeas, rinsed

2 tablespoons curry powder

1 14.5-ounce can of diced canned tomatoes with juice*

1/4 cup chopped cilantro

* I used diced fire-roasted tomatoes seasoned with jalapeno peppers, which gave the recipe a fiery kick.

Directions

1. Cook couscous according to package instructions. Toss with chickpeas and set aside.

2. In a nonstick pan over medium heat, heat oil. Add eggplant and peppers lightly seasoned with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Cook until eggplant is lightly browned on both sides, about 10 minutes.

3. Add curry powder and garlic; stir well and add tomatoes. Simmer 5-10 minutes or until vegetables are tender. Add couscous and chickpeas and mix all ingredients together. Season to taste with kosher salt and freshly ground pepper. Stir in cilantro and serve hot.