Ingredients:

• 3 eggplant, Asian, washed. To prepare the eggplant, cut off the ends and then cube the eggplant into small pieces. I find it easiest to do this by cutting the eggplant in quarters lengthwise and then slicing it into cubes.
• 1½ tsp salt, sea salt
• 2 tbsp avocado oil
• 1 tsp turmeric powder
• 1 cucumber, washed, sliced into cubes
• 1 cup cherry tomatoes, washed, cut in half lengthways
• 1 cup parsley, packed cup, washed, finely chopped
• 4 cups chickpeas, canned, drained and thoroughly washed
• ½ red onion, large, finely chopped
• 1 lemon, fresh juice
• 1 tbsp sumac, powder

Instructions: 

1. To release the moisture from the eggplant, place the cubes on a large plate or bowl, sprinkle with salt, and let them sit for 30 minutes
2. After 30 minutes, use a clean dishcloth or paper towel to gently press and blot the eggplant cubes dry. This is a crucial step because if there’s too much moisture on them, they won’t air fry well – resulting in soggy eggplant
3. Coat the cubes with avocado oil,and turmeric. Toss to coat thoroughly
4. Place the eggplant in the air fryer baskets, making sure not to overcrowd the cubes. Air fry at 400F for 15-20 minutes, shaking the baskets halfway through cooking
5. Once the eggplant is cooked, remove the cubes from the air fryer and place them in a large bowl
6. To assemble the salad, add chickpeas, cucumber, tomatoes, parsley, onion, lemon and sumac to a large bowl and toss to combine
7. Add the air fryer eggplant along with the avocado pieces and toss gently to combine. Enjoy!