Arab-style eggplant and lentil stew

• 1 onion
• 1 ardei
• 3 cloves of garlic
• 1 small eggplant
• 500 g cooked lentils
• 200 g tomato sauce
• 6 sun-dried tomatoes
• 250 ml water
• 1 tsp harissa
• 3 Tbsp olive oil
• Salt and pepper, to taste

For the polenta:

• Water
• Salt
• Cornmeal (amount adjusted to achieve the desired consistency)

For extra flavor and creaminess:

• Nutritional yeast
• Cashew cream

1. Sauté the onion and bell pepper in a little olive oil until soft.
2. Add the finely chopped garlic, then the diced eggplant and a pinch of salt.
3. Season with harissa for extra flavor and add a bit more olive oil, as eggplants absorb more oil.
4. Cook everything over medium heat for about 5 minutes, until the eggplant starts to brown lightly.
5. Add the cooked lentils, sun-dried tomatoes, and tomato sauce, then pour in the hot water.
6. Cover the pan and let it simmer for 10–15 minutes.
7. While the stew was cooking, I quickly prepared a softer-than-usual polenta.
8. Once it reached the desired consistency (a bit softer than traditional), I removed it from the heat and stirred in nutritional yeast and homemade cashew cream for extra creaminess
9. To serve, spread a generous layer of polenta on a plate and top with the eggplant and lentil stew.
10. Finish with a drizzle of olive oil and freshly chopped parsley.