Undercooked aubergine can look done while still resisting the fork. Give the pieces enough time and a little covered cooking, and their texture changes from springy to soft.
Cut one large aubergine into roughly 2 cm cubes. Brown in a wide pan with two tablespoons of olive oil, working in batches if needed. Add a chopped garlic clove, a 400 g tin of tomatoes, and a splash of water. Cover and simmer gently, stirring occasionally, until the aubergine is completely tender.
Uncover to thicken the sauce, then fold in a drained tin of chickpeas and heat through. Taste for salt and add chopped parsley or basil. Serve two generous portions with couscous or bread.
There is no reward for keeping the aubergine firm here. Test one of the larger pieces before serving. If the sauce reduces too quickly, add water and continue cooking rather than accepting a tough center because the timer has finished.