Grilled Eggplant with Garlic-Tahini Sauce, Pistachios & Chickpea Salad

Directions

1. Preheat a grill pan, outdoor grill, or skillet over medium-high heat.
2. Trim the eggplants and cut them into ½-inch thick planks; place on a plate and drizzle with oil, salt, and pepper.
3. Cook the eggplant on the hot surface, turning once, until lightly charred and tender, about 6–8 minutes. Transfer to a plate and loosely cover with foil.
4. Drain and rinse the chickpeas and let them drain further while you prepare the sauce.
5. In a small bowl, juice half of a lemon and whisk in yogurt, tahini, a touch of water, brown sugar, and spice—season to taste. This becomes the tahini sauce.
6. In a medium bowl, juice the remaining lemon. Whisk in oil, extra tahini, and spices to create a bright dressing; add the chopped cucumber and halved tomatoes and toss.
7. Roughly chop the pistachios and thinly slice the basil, then add to the salad with the chickpeas and toss to combine.
8. To serve, arrange the grilled eggplant on plates and top with the salad. Drizzle with the tahini sauce and sprinkle with pistachios.”