In Lebanon, maghmour is sometimes called “our moussaka,” but it is not layered, is cooked in a pot, and contains no meat. Fried eggplant, chickpeas, and garlic come together in tomato sauce. It is served at room temperature rather than hot, and tastes even better after resting for 1 day. Add the dried mint at the end, after removing the pot from the heat; boiling mint loses its aroma and leaves a slightly bitter taste.
Peel the eggplant in stripes and cut it into 3 cm cubes. Place it in a colander, toss with half the salt, and set a plate on top. The salt draws out bitterness and moisture; if the water remains, the cubes will collapse into the oil.
Pat the eggplant thoroughly dry with paper towels. Heat half the olive oil in a wide pan and fry the cubes in batches without crowding the pan. When the edges are golden brown and the centers are soft, remove them with a slotted spoon and place them on a wire rack.
Add the remaining olive oil to a pot and cook the finely chopped onion over low heat for 7 minutes, without browning it. Add the sliced garlic and stir for 1 minute; stop as soon as it becomes fragrant, since burnt garlic will make the dish bitter.
Add the tomato paste and cook for 1 minute. Add the grated tomatoes, cinnamon, red pepper flakes, and remaining salt. Cook over medium heat until the sauce thickens and oil separates around the edges and rises to the surface. If you move on before this happens, the dish will taste of raw tomatoes.
Add the cooked chickpeas to the pot and cook for 5 minutes. Add the fried eggplant and toss by shaking the pot, without mashing it with a spoon. Partially cover and cook over low heat until the eggplant absorbs the sauce and the dish thickens. There should be no pool of liquid at the bottom.
Remove the pot from the heat. Crumble the dried mint between your palms and sprinkle it over the dish, then grind in the black pepper. Let the dish cool to room temperature, then top with chopped fresh mint and one 5 ml measure of extra-virgin olive oil. Serve with fresh bread.
Salt the eggplant and let it drain in a colander for 30 minutes, then pat it dry; eggplant that has not released its water absorbs frying oil like a sponge. Let the dish rest for at least 2 hours before serving; the flavors have not yet melded while it is hot.
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