Toast the walnuts in your pan on medium-high heat. Once toasted, grind the walnuts in a food processor until fine. Dice the onions and mince the garlic.

Add your olive oil to a deep pot, and sauté the onions until turning translucent. If you are including eggplants, dice them, and add them now as well. Add the garlic, spices, and orange zest, and sauté for 1-2 more minutes.

Add the chickpeas, the juice of your orange, maple syrup, and fill up the pot with vegetable stock until the chickpeas are topped off. Add the pomegranate molasses and walnuts.

Let the stew simmer for about an hour, until it has thickened nicely and the chickpeas are creamy. Check for seasoning and balance the flavors as you like.

Finish the stew with fresh pomegranate seeds, and finely chopped parsley and mint. I like adding a few walnuts for decoration.