Yemma Aouïcha – Eggplant with Chickpeas

Traditionally made with dried chickpeas soaked overnight and a spice paste called derssa, Yemma Aouïcha is a tasty classic dish from Algeria. It's so good!

I must confess that not only have I not been to Algeria, I had never heard of this dish before I started my search for recipes that begin with the letter Y. But as soon as I saw the dish name on one list, I began to look for more information about it and the mysterious spice paste derssa (or dersa or even dersah) that seemed integral and yet a little different in each recipe. 

These are the sorts of rabbit holes I adore when I am researching a recipe. I learn so much about other countries and cultures. For one, it seems that many Algerian recipes have chickpeas in them. Families almost always have a small bowl soaking overnight so that they can be used the next day. 

Derssa, however you spell it, is essential in many of the dishes and while some ingredients change, adding caraway and paprika, for instance, they all contain garlic, cumin, some form of red pepper and olive oil. 

Yemma means mother in the Algerian language and Aouïcha is the variation of the name Aïcha, which means “she who lives” or “alive and well.” 

When I started making the derssa with the amount of ingredients listed below, I realized that my little food processor couldn’t process such a small amount smoothly so I ended up doubling the recipe and using only half – about 4 1/2 tablespoons or 60g - in the Yemma Aouïcha. If you have to do the same, use leftovers as you would harissa. Or make this dish again! That is my plan.

Yemma Aouïcha – Eggplant with Chickpeas

NOTE: Start 8-12 hours ahead by soaking the chickpeas! Or you can substitute canned chickpeas. I measured mine after cooking so I am confident telling you to use 1 cup or 150g and rinse well. I give the approximate weight of my eggplant below but a little more or a little less won’t make any difference. 

Ingredients

For the derssa:

4 cloves garlic

1 red chili pepper

1 teaspoon cumin powder

1 teaspoon paprika

1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

2 tablespoons olive oil

For the Yemma Aouïcha:

1/3 cup or 66g dried chickpeas (or see note above the ingredient list)

2 large eggplant, approx. weight 2 lbs or 796g

1/4 cup or 60ml canola or other light oil

3/4 cup or 150g rice (I used extra-long grain Basmati)

3 cups or 720ml vegetable or chicken stock

small bunch cilantro, hard stems removed, chopped roughly, plus extra to garnish

1 lemon, cut in wedges to serve

Method

Soak your chickpeas in plenty of cool water for at least 8 hours, or overnight.

Make the derssa by combining all of the ingredients in a small food processor. 

This is one recipe's worth. I actually doubled it, as mentioned above.

Blend till smooth. You can use a mortar and pestle as well. Refrigerate until ready to use. 

When you are ready to cook, wash and rinse the soaked chickpeas. Boil the chickpeas in fresh water for about 10 minutes then drain them in a colander. They should be half cooked and will finish cooking later. 

Cut the eggplant into small cubes.

In a large nonstick pan add a little of the oil and fry the eggplant in batches till they are golden brown, for about 10 minutes. 

Put the browned eggplant in a large bowl and fry the next batch until they are all golden.

Remove the hard stems from the cilantro and chop the tender stems and leaves. 

In a large pot, combine the chickpeas, eggplant and the derssa with 3 tablespoons canola oil.

Mix all the ingredients together. Pour in the rice and the chopped cilantro.

Cover with the stock, bring to a low boil and then simmer, covered, for 20 minutes.

 

Check it and if some of the rice is still hard, add a little water and simmer for another 5 minutes or until the rice is cooked.

Remove from the heat and leave covered until ready to serve. 

Serve warm, drizzled with a little bit of lemon juice and garnish with a little chopped cilantro and a lemon wedge. And since I made double the derssa, I added a little more of that on top. 

Enjoy! 

Welcome to the 25th edition of the 2024 Alphabet Challenge, brought to you by the letter Y. Many thanks to Wendy from A Day in the Life on the Farm for organizing and creating the challenge. Check out all the Y recipes below:

• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Gingerbread Cinnamon Rolls 
• Food Lust People Love: Yemma Aouïcha – Eggplant with Chickpeas 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Japanese Milk Bread with Yudane (Shokupan) 
• Culinary Cam: Garlicky Yogurt Topped with Çılbır, Turkish Poached Eggs 
• Blogghetti: Fresh Fruit Yogurt Parfaits 
• Sneha’s Recipe: Kiwi Yogurt Whip 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Tzatziki 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Thandai Baked Yogurt 
• A Messy Kitchen: Yuzu Pie 
• Magical Ingredients: Yuca Paratha 
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Jalapeño Yellow Cornmeal Brown Sugar Cookies

Here are my posts for the alphabet challenge, thus far:
A: Anchovy Deviled Eggs
B: Spicy Braised Ginger Pork Belly
C: Cecilie's Favorite Coleslaw
D: Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing
E: Everything Pizza Tartin
F: Baked Chicken and Feta Meatballs
G: Grape Juice Jigglers
H: Crispy Bacon-wrapped Chicken Hearts
I: Raspberry Rhubarb Ice Cream
J: Java Dry Spice Mix Chops 

K. Korean Barbecue-style Meatballs 

L. Easy Lamb and Fresh Tomato Curry 

M. Fresh Mint Sauce 

N. Miso Butter Noodles 

O. Spicy Orange Braised Short Ribs 

P. Homemade Piri Piri Sauce 

Q, Cointreau Glazed Orange Quick Bread 

R. Leek and Lobster Mushroom Risotto 

S. Cheesy Sausage and Egg Casserole 

T. Stuffed Turkey Cutlets 

U. Spicy Urad Dal -

V. Spicy Vinegar Braised Chicken 

W. Honey Walnut Brittle 

X. Xmas Eggnog Fudge 

Y. Yemma Aouïcha – Eggplant with Chickpeas - this post!

Pin this Yemma Aouïcha – Eggplant with Chickpeas!

 .

Griddled Eggplant Salad

So simple, yet so delicious, this griddled eggplant salad is flavorful, garlicky and very much more than the sum of its few parts.

If you’ve been reading this space for a while, you’ve probably heard me talk about how much I hated eggplant as a child. The texture, the flavor (or lack thereof), the ugly inside color. None of it appealed. 

Until one summer when I was introduced to homemade eggplant parmigiana, my gateway dish to loving eggplant. Now I like it all the ways! I first saved this recipe back in 2004, scribbled in a notebook while watching Nigella Lawson make it on her show Nigella Bites. Later I transferred those notes to a Word doc but I never got around to making it. 

Yep, saved for 20 years, it resurfaced recently when I search my own computer for eggplant ahead of this Sunday FunDay event. I thought I might have a recipe already made that I could use but when this popped up, I figured it was a sign that I should finally make it. Why did I wait so long! It’s lovely. And so easy! 

Griddled Eggplant Salad

This recipe is adapted from one in Nigella Bites: From Family Meals to Elegant Dinners - Easy, Delectable Recipes for Any Occasion. Extra garlic oil should be stored in a clean jar in the refrigerator. It is excellent in salad dressings or homemade mayonnaise.

Ingredients

For the garlic oil:

1/2 cup or 120ml olive oil

3 cloves garlic, finely sliced

For the salad:

1 medium eggplant

2 tablespoons garlic infused olive oil, plus more to serve

2 green onions

Flakey sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

1/2 lemon

Method

Slice the eggplant into circles and put them in a colander. Sprinkle the slices with salt and leave to sweat and drain for about 15-20 minutes. 

Meanwhile, finely slice the garlic and put it with the olive oil into a small pot. 

Gently heat the oil till it is warm then leave it to simmer gently for about five minutes. Remove from the heat and leave to cool. Strain out the garlic and put the oil in a clean jar to store. (I saved the garlic and added it to another dish and so should you.)

Lay the eggplant slices on paper towels and use more to dry with them. 

Place the garlic oil in a small bowl and brush it on the eggplant slices. Turn them over and brush the other side. 

Preheat the griddle or stove top grill pan and then place each eggplant slice onto the grill and press down gently. Do not crowd the pan. 

Cook about 3-4 minutes per side. 

I like to turn them so that I make hashed griddle marks. Remove the grilled eggplant slices to a platter and repeat until they are all cooked. 

Drizzle with more garlic oil. Season with salt, freshly ground black pepper and a good squeeze of lemon juice. Set aside to cool to room temperature.

Sprinkle on the snipped green onions.

 

Enjoy! 

As I mentioned above, it’s another Sunday FunDay! We are sharing recipes with eggplant, prolific in everyone’s garden this time of year. Many thanks to our host, Sue of Palatable Pastime. Check out the links below.

• Air Fryer Eggplant Pizza (Aubergine or Brinjal Pizza) from Cook with Renu
• Brinjal and Tomato Chutney from Sneha's Recipe
• Dahi Baingan from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Eggplant Gratin from Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Griddled Eggplant Salad from Food Lust People Love
• Grilled Eggplant, Tomatoes, and Burrata Platter from Culinary Cam
• Melitzanosalata (Greek Eggplant Dip) from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Szechuan Eggplant from Palatable Pastime

 

>We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

Pin this Griddled Eggplant Salad! 

 .

Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing

Spicy and delicious, this Cajun chicken eggplant dressing can be a side dish or dinner! Either way, if you like eggplant, you are going to love it. 

This was one of my mom’s favorite dishes and one I absolutely detested growing up. For too many years she’d make me put some on my plate, just to try it, until she suddenly said, “Hey, the more for me!” and quit forcing me. Hallelujah! 

When I finally learned to love eggplant through the Italian gateway dish/drug of eggplant parmigiana,  I started cooking Mom’s old eggplant-based favorites and, sur-PRISE, sur-PRISE, sur-PRISE, as Gomer Pyle used say, I loved them all!

Side note to my overseas/younger readers: Gomer Pyle was a character in a terribly hokey 1960s tv show I watched as reruns when I was a kid in the '70s. One of his standard lines "Sur-PRISE, sur-PRISE, sur-PRISE" - emphasis on the last syllable - was always uttered with a big wide eyes, possibly followed by another of his favorite interjections: SHAZAM! He was innocent, easily amazed and we loved him. In case you want to look it up, he was on The Andy Griffith Show.

If you love eggplant like I love eggplant, you might like to try my Cheesy Eggplant Pork Roast Rolls, my Caprese Stuffed Roasted Eggplant or Mom’s other huge favorite, Cajun Shrimp Eggplant Casserole. All delicious but the Caprese Stuffed Roasted Eggplant is especially lovely if you need a pretty main dish for the vegetarians in your life. 

Isn't it amazing how our taste buds and aversions to texture can change as we grow up? 

Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing

You can make this dressing with your preferred chicken parts but know that chicken with skin on and bones helps make the dish more flavorful. If you choose bigger pieces, like thighs, just make sure you cook them till they are tender. On the cooked rice, I like long-grained basmati rice but my Cajun grandmother would have used short grained, grown locally in southern Louisiana. You do you. 

Ingredients

2 1/2 lbs or 1134g chicken wing parts (use the tips to make stock!) 

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt

freshly ground black pepper

ground cayenne

1/4 cup or 60ml canola oil

1 medium onion, peeled and finely minced

1 medium bell pepper, de-seeded, stem removed, finely minced

2 stalks celery, finely minced

2 medium eggplants (about 2 lbs or 900g in weight)

3 cups or 400g cooked rice

1/2 teaspoon fine sea salt, plus more to taste

1 teaspoon cayenne (use less if you don’t like things spicy), plus more to taste 

Freshly ground black pepper, plus more to taste

Optional: chopped parsley for garnish

Method

Season the chicken with salt, black pepper and a good sprinkle of cayenne then pan-fry in the canola oil, uncovered, in your Dutch oven until golden brown on all sides. Remove to a plate and set aside. 

Add the onion, bell pepper and celery to the pot and sauté over a low heat until the vegetables are soft and the onion is translucent. I find putting the lid on helps this go faster but don’t forget to stir frequently. 

Peel the eggplant in strips, leaving some peeling on for color, then cut them into cubes. You can leave all the peels on but the color of the dish will be markedly darker. My mom used to say that when her grandmother made it, the eggplant turned even the chicken kind of black. I cannot verify this as I always peel mine thusly. 

Once the onion mixture has softened, return the golden chicken pieces to the pot. (For the eagle-eyed, I just removed the pot from the stove for photos. My stovetop doesn't have great lighting.)

Pile the eggplant cubes on top and season with the salt, cayenne and a few generous grinds of black pepper. 

Add a half cup or 120ml water to the pot and put the lid to your Dutch oven on snugly. Cook over a high heat for a few minutes, until you start to see a little steam trying to escape, then turn the heat down to simmer. 

Cook for about an hour, checking periodically to see if you need to add a little water, if it looks dry. With a proper tight-fitting lid, the eggplant releases enough liquid that this shouldn’t be necessary but best to check. 

This is after about half an hour. 

This is after a full hour. You will notice that I did not stir so the chicken remains submerged. 

Take the lid off the pot and add in the cooked rice. Now you should mix well. 

Cook, covered, for about five minutes or until the rice is heated through. Stir occasionally to make sure it doesn’t start to stick to the pot. 

Taste the dressing and add more salt, cayenne and black pepper if needed. Mine is usually good for salt but we like more pepper. Again, you do you. 

Pile the dressing in a serving bowl and garnish with a little chopped parsley for color. My grandmother would never have missed this step! Every savory dish she cooked was finished with a little parsley. 

Enjoy!

Welcome to the fourth installment of our Alphabet Challenge for 2024. Today’s recipes are brought to you by the letter D. Many thanks to our challenge creator Wendy of A Day in the Life on a Farm. 

• Sneha’s Recipe: Dill With Chana Dal & Potato 
• Culinary Cam: Dark Chocolate-Juniper Panna Cotta 
• A Day in the Life on the Farm: Dark Chocolate Mousse 
• Karen’s Kitchen Stories: Durum Wheat Sesame Bread 
• Jolene’s Recipe Journal: Devil’s Food Cake Mix Cookies 
• Blogghetti: Deviled Egg Crostini 
• Mayuri’s Jikoni: Dangella | Tawa Handvo 
• Magical Ingredients: Dates Walnut Paratha 
• Food Lust People Love: Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing
• Faith, Hope, Love, & Luck Survive Despite a Whiskered Accomplice: Italian Deviled Eggs with Heart-Shaped Tomatoes
• Palatable Pastime: Durkee’s Famous Sauce

Here are my posts for the alphabet challenge, thus far:
A: Anchovy Deviled Eggs
B: Spicy Braised Ginger Pork Belly
C: Cecilie's Favorite Coleslaw
D: Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing - This post!

Pin this Cajun Chicken Eggplant Dressing!

 .

Spicy Sweet Soy Eggplant Tofu Quail Egg Stir-fry

This recipe is a mouthful in more ways than one! Spicy Sweet Soy Eggplant Tofu Quail Egg Stir-fry will fill your belly and please all your taste buds.

Once upon a time (back in the late ’80s) we lived on the island of Borneo in the small oilfield town of Balikpapan. Borneo is owned by three countries. The tiniest bit in the northwest corner belongs to the Sultanate of Brunei and the rest falls under the jurisdiction of either Indonesia or Malaysia. Balikpapan is in the Indonesia section called Kalimantan. I had tried sweet soy sauce aka kecap manis before but that is where I fell in love.

Kecap manis, pronounced kuh-CHOP MAH-nees, is a must-have in so many Indonesian dishes. It’s soy sauce sweetened with palm sugar so it makes sense that the name translates to “sweet sauce” in English. 

In most Indonesian restaurants, a small bowl of kecap manis and chopped bird’s eye chili peppers will be on every table, just in case what you ordered didn’t have kecap manis in it but you want to add some. I usually did. 

I have hauled bottles of the ABC brand sauce in my luggage all over the world! I love it that much. It’s the key ingredient in my spicy sticky wings and my Bali spicy grilled fish.  

I came across this recipe online while searching for something to make with eggplant and tofu. As soon as I saw kecap manis in the ingredients list, I knew I had to make it. It reminded me a bit of my braised pork and egg dish and I adore that! 

Spicy Sweet Soy Eggplant Tofu Quail Egg Stir-fry

This recipe is adapted from one I found on Cookpad. The author is from Bandung, Indonesia, which is on Java, the same island as the Indonesian capital, Jakarta.  You can find kecap manis, fresh quail eggs, and fried tofu at most Asian markets. Check the refrigerated section for the latter two. 

Ingredients - serves 4

2 eggplant (approximately 1 2/3 lbs or 740g total) 

fine sea salt 

1 small onion – about 3 1/2 oz or 100g

4 cloves garlic

4 fresh red chili peppers

7 oz or 200g fried tofu - cut into cubes (I used already seasoned with lemon grass and chili) 

2 tablespoons canola or another light oil

1/3 cup or 80ml kecap manis aka sweet soy sauce

12 hard-boiled quail eggs

chopped cilantro – some for pan and some to garnish

To serve: cooked white or brown rice 

Method

Cut the eggplant into cubes (no need to peel) and put them in a colander, lightly sprinkling on sea salt as you add the cubes in layers. Set the colander in a sink (or over a large bowl) to drain. 

Meanwhile, make the onion, garlic and red chili peppers into a paste in a small food processor or mortar and pestle. Set aside.

Dry the eggplant with paper towels then fry it in batches in large nonstick skillet until the pieces are golden on all sides. Sometimes a little drizzle of oil helps this process. It depends on your non-stick skillet. 

Set the browned eggplant aside on a large plate. 

Cut the fried tofu into bite-sized pieces and repeat the pan-frying process in the same non-stick skillet. When the tofu is golden on all sides, pop it on top of the eggplant. 

Heat 2 tablespoons of oil in a pan. Add in the onion/garlic/chili paste. 

Fry over a medium heat for a few minutes, until fragrant. That is to say, until it no longer smells sharply of onion and garlic. Add a couple of tablespoons of water and let it simmer for a few minutes more. 

Add in the sweet soy sauce and cook over a low heat till it’s a bit sticky looking. Stir often so it doesn’t burn. 

Add the tofu and eggplant back into the pan, along with the boiled quail eggs. 

Fold gently to coat them with the sauce and cook for a few minutes more until everything is heated through again.  Sprinkle with some chopped cilantro and stir it in gently. 

Top with more cilantro to serve. I serve this over cooked white or brown rice and put my habanero sauce on the table in case anyone would like it spicier than it already is!

Enjoy!

It’s Sunday FunDay again and our featured ingredient is the incredible edible egg! Check out the recipe links below. Many thanks to our host, Rebekah of Making Miracles!

• Ajitsuke Tamago (Ramen Eggs) from Palatable Pastime
• Baked Eggs with Parmesan and Chives Karen's Kitchen Stories
• Beet-Marbled Eggs with Feta from Culinary Adventures with Camilla
• Dosa Egg Sandwich Sneha's Recipe
• Egg, Ham and Cheese Crepe Pockets from Making Miracles
• Huevos Rancheros from Mayuri's Jikoni
• Huevos Rancheros Verde from A Day in the Life on the Farm
• Ramen Bowls with Spinach & Poached Eggs from Amy's Cooking Adventures
• Spicy Sweet Soy Eggplant Tofu Quail Egg Stir-fry from Food Lust People Love

 

We are a group of food bloggers who believe that Sunday should be a family fun day, so every Sunday we share recipes that will help you to enjoy your day. If you're a blogger interested in joining us, just visit our Facebook group and request to join.

Pin this Spicy Sweet Soy Eggplant

Tofu Quail Egg Stir-fry!

 .