Western Province Braised Eggplant & Tomato Coconut Stew – Authentic Solomon Islands Recipe
Silky braised eggplant and tomatoes enriched with freshly pressed coconut cream.
- Country of Origin
- 🇸🇧 Solomon Islands (Melanesia, Oceania)
- Dietary Profile
- vegan
- Prep Time
- 15 min
- Cook Time
- 30 min
- Difficulty
- Easy
- Signature Staples
- Purple eggplants, Ripe plum tomatoes, Chickpeas, Coconut cream, Ginger
Ingredients for Western Province Braised Eggplant & Tomato Coconut Stew (4 Servings)
- 1.25 lbs (or 2.5 cups) purple eggplants, prepped into bite-sized pieces
- 1.5 cups ripe plum tomatoes, washed and trimmed
- 1 cup chickpeas
- 1 medium onion and 3 cloves garlic, finely minced with coconut cream
- 1.5 tbsp traditional Solomon Islands seasoning (ginger, garlic, fresh basil)
- 2.5 cups rich culinary stock or aromatic cooking liquid, plus 2 tbsp cooking oil
Step-by-Step Cooking Instructions
- Heat oil in a heavy Dutch oven or deep skillet over medium-high heat; brown purple eggplants for 5 minutes.
- Add minced onion, garlic, coconut cream, and ginger, garlic, fresh basil, stirring for 2 minutes until deeply aromatic.
- Add ripe plum tomatoes and pour in the braising liquid; bring to a lively simmer.
- Cover and braise over medium-low heat for 20–22 minutes until meltingly tender and the sauce is rich and glossy.
- Stir in chickpeas right before serving warm.