Epic Vegan Sandwich~ Chickpea Cutlets And Eggplant

What do you think would happen if someone from the Mediterranean got together with someone from Mexico and created one sandwich? Today I wanted to create what I imagined what it would be like.

I have been in Mexico for almost six months and haven't seen eggplant all that much, but when I saw one the other day I grabbed it. I made what might resemble a ratatouille, with eggplant (or aubergine), zucchini, (or courgette), and tomatoes. I made some cutlets out of chickpeas and lentils which is what I usually have been using to make proteins. Being here in Mexico means that one must make use of the plentiful Roma tomatoes and avocados which seem to be at their finest right now. So I combined some of the flavors of the ingredients often used in the Mediterranean and Mexico. Here is what happened.

Starting with a protein created by chickpeas and lentils.

1 cup chickpeas, soaked overnight
1 cup ground dried lentil
1 small carrot
1/2 onion diced finely
1 clove garlic minced
Salt to taste ( I used around 1 teaspoon)
Pinch of cumin
pinch of chili powder

Put everything in the food processor and mix adding only enough water to make a doughy consistency. Form into cutlets and brown in a pan.

For the eggplant

1 medium eggplant
1 green pepper ( I used a problano )
4 tomatoes
1 small onion
2 or 3 cloves garlic minced

Slice the eggplant into very thin slices. For a better eggplant dish ( in my opinion), coat the eggplant in salt then let it sit for a while. I left it for around half an hour. After there will be juices. Squeeze out the juice thoroughly, then heat up a pan with some oil. Saute the onions and garlic, then add the peppers and eggplant, then the tomatoes at the end. Cover with a lid and let it simmer until everything is tender.

Assemble the sandwich spreading the avocado, then the cutlets then the eggplant. The only lettuce I could get at the little market near by was iceburg. Not something I normally use. I like green lettuce. I shredded the lettuce and coated with a little salt and vinegar before topping the sandwich.