Place the eggplant in a colander and sprinkle with the coarse salt. Let stand for 1 hour. Pat dry with paper towels.
Press Saute and use the Saute or the Adjust button to select the lowest temperature, which might say “Less”. Place 1 tablespoon of the olive oil in the inner pot and let it heat up. Add half the eggplant and sauté until almost tender. Remove the eggplant to a plate, and repeat with 1 more tablespoon of olive oil and the rest of the eggplant.
Heat the remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil in the Instant Pot. Add the onions, garlic, and green peppers and sauté just until softened, about 10 minutes.
Add the eggplant with any juices, the canned tomatoes with their liquid, fresh tomatoes, chili powder, cumin, oregano, basil, pepper, salt, and fennel seeds. Stir well. Close and lock the lid. Set the valve to Venting. Attach the condensation collector. Press Cancel, then Press Slow Cook and use the Slow Cook or Adjust button to select the middle temperature (“Normal”). Use the + or – button to set the time to 4 hours.
When the cooking time is finished, press Cancel and remove the lid.
Stir in the kidney beans, chickpeas, dill, parsley, and lemon juice. Replace the lid and use the Slow Cook or Adjust button to reselect the middle temperature and the + or – button to set the time for another 30 minutes, until everything is hot and tender and your house smells great. Stir well and taste and adjust seasonings.
Serve hot with rice and sour cream, scallions, and lots of shredded cheddar cheese.
Notes
You can also cook it in a regular pot on the stove. Once all of the ingredients are combined in the pot, just let it simmer away, stirring occasionally, for an hour or so.