Vegan Egyptian moussaka or Mesa'ah is the streamlined cousin of the more well known Mediterranean moussaka, here, made without meat or bechamel sauce, yet so incredible delicious!
Slice the eggplants in rounds about 1 cm (½ inch) wide. I don't bother salting eggplants these days as many modern varieties are not bitter.
Frying in Oil
Heat the oil in a large frying pan or saucepan on medium heat. Fry the eggplants in a single layer for 5 minutes, flipping halfway through.If your pan isn't big enough, do this in batches.
When done, take them out and place on a plate double lined with kitchen paper.
In the Oven
Preheat the oven to 200° (400°F).Place the eggplants in a large bowl. Pour about 1 tsp of the olive oil onto your hands, rub your hands together, then gently rub these oily hands all over the slices. Be quick as eggplants absorb oil like crazy. Add a little more oil to your hands if necessary.This, to me, is the best way to rub oil on eggplant slices.
Place the oiled aubergine slices on a baking sheet and bake in the oven for 25 minutes, flipping halfway through.Line your baking sheet with foil if it's not non stick.Get the tomato sauce started while waiting.When done, take them out of the oven and set aside. No need to move to a plate.
In an Air Fryer
Preheat the air fryer to 200° (400°F) for 5 minutes.Place your eggplant slices in the air fryer basket/container and fry for 10 - 12 minutes. No need to do this in a single layer.Halfway through, just flip the basket like you would a frying pan to flip the eggplant slices. No need to do them individually. This is how I cook everything in the air fryer.Get the tomato sauce started while waiting.When done, take them out of the oven and set aside. No need to move to a plate.
Tomato Sauce
Finely chop the garlic.Slice the red capsicum into strips, losing the seeds.Halve the green chilli and lose the seeds.
Heat 2 Tbsp of the olive oil in a saucepan on medium heat and fry the garlic for 30 seconds.
Add the chopped tomatoes, tomato paste, water and red capsicum and bring to a simmer. Add the cumin, paprika, salt and sugar. Simmer for 15 minutes.At the end of cooking time, check seasoning and add more salt if you want. And even more cumin or paprika. The sauce, at this point, wants to be strongly flavoured, as we'll be adding the bland aubergines in and cooking further.
Baking the Moussaka
Preheat the oven to 180°C (350°F).Get a square baking dish measuring about 20cm x 20 cm (8" x 8") or something similar, square or not. We'll be layering our tomato sauce and eggplant slices. Pour a ladle of the tomato sauce into the dish, covering the base completely.
Follow this with a layer of aubergine slices. Top with more tomato sauce. Then another layer of aubergines, finishing up with a layer of tomato sauce.
Tuck the green chilli slices in anywhere you like and bake in the oven for 35 minutes until the top is slightly brown.
Leave to rest for 5 minutes, then serve as discussed above.
On the Stove
Take half the sauce out, then add the eggplants slices to your saucepan.
Gently, pour the sauce back over the eggplants, cover and simmer for 20 minutes. Rest for 5 minutes, then serve.
Notes
Cooking time includes the sauce being started while the eggplants are cooking.