Posts

Moroccan Lentil and Aubergine Soup

This Moroccan Lentil and Aubergine Soup is a current favourite: mildly spicy, incredibly fragrant, and singing with coriander and parsley.

Ingredients: 
1 onion, finely chopped
2 cloves garlic, minced
2cm piece ginger, grated
1 tsp ground cumin
1 tsp ground cinnamon
1/2 tsp allspice
1 aubergine, small dice
800ml vegetable stock
1 x 400g can chopped tomatoes
1 tsp suitable-for-vegans brown sugar
1 red chilli, halved lengthways and de-seeded
100g red lentils, rinsed and picked over
Suitable-for-vegans plain yoghurt (I used soy)
Coriander and parsley, minced 
Paprika
Salt and freshly ground black pepper

Directions: 
1. Heat a deep skillet over a medium low heat. Spray with a little cooking spray, and sauté the onions until they start to soften. Add the garlic, ginger, and spices for about 30 seconds. Stir in the aubergine, stock, tomatoes, and mix through the brown sugar. Add the red chilli, and sprinkle the lentils over the top, mixing in very gently. 
2. Cover and simmer 20 minutes, or until the aubergine is soft. 
3. Top with suitable-for-vegans plain yoghurt, minced herbs, a shake or two of paprika, and salt and freshly ground black pepper. If you find coriander soapy, remove as much of the stem as possible from the leaf, and discard the stem before mincing the leaf.

Brinjal Bhaji (Aubergine Curry)

Pleasantly spicy, incredibly fragrant, and full of textural contrasts, this aubergine curry serves 4 with rice.

Ingredients

3 medium aubergines, cubed
1 tsp cumin seeds
1 tsp black onion seeds
1 tsp coriander seeds
1/2 tsp mustard seeds
2 red onions, chopped
1 inch piece ginger, peeled and minced
3 garlic cloves, minced
1/2 tsp chilli flakes
1/2 tsp turmeric
1 can chopped tomatoes
1 tbsp soy sauce
3/4 cup vegetable broth
100g frozen peas
1 tsp garam masala

Directions

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with a silicone sheet or baking parchment, and spread the aubergine out in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, turning once.
2. Meanwhile, preheat a large pot, and add the seeds. When they start to move about, remove from the pan and set aside.
3. Dry-sauté the onion until softened, adding a splash of water if they start to stick. Add the garlic, ginger, chilli flakes, and turmeric for 30 seconds more. Stir the seeds back in.
4. Add the tomatoes, soy sauce, vegetable broth, peas, garam masala, and aubergine to the pot. Simmer until the liquid is mostly thick and evaporated and the aubergines are soft.

Marinated Aubergine and Pear Sandwich

Balancing the savoury marinade of the aubergine with the sweetness of the pear, this dish takes under 15 minutes, since it has all of the flavour of the marinating process without the time outlay. Serves 2.

Ingredients

For the Marinade

2 tbsp soy sauce or tamari
2 tbsp suitable-for-vegans BBQ sauce
2 tsp maple syrup
1 tsp onion granules
1 tsp smoked paprika

For everything else

1 aubergine/eggplant sliced into 1/8-1/4 inch slices
1 long sweet pointed pepper, sliced into strips
1 large handful greens (I used spinach and baby kale)
1/2 red onion, sliced
1 pear, sliced
1 suitable-for-vegans wholegrain demi baguette

Directions

1. Mix the marinade in a shallow bowl.
2. Heat a frying pan to medium low, and fill the bottom with a thin layer of water (or vegetable broth, if desired)–just enough to cover. Place the aubergine slices into the water and allow to soften–about 5 minutes.
3. Meanwhile, heat a health grill or a griddle pan to high. Chargrill the peppers until lightly blackened in spots and slightly softened. Remove when done, and transfer to a plate–they don’t need to be kept warm.
4. Transfer the aubergine slices to the marinade, toss, and then lift out with a slotted spoon, allowing the excess marinade to drip off. Add to the griddle pan and allow to cook enough to pick up some colour.
5. Halve the demi baguette. Fill with the vegetables, as desired, and enjoy.

Thai-Inspired Augergine and Chickpea Curry

Oil-free aubergine (eggplant) dishes can be tricky because the aubergine often dries out. The secret to this recipe, though, is to roast the aubergine before simmering it in the sauce. This is a fairly straightforward recipe, and once the aubergine is roasted it comes together really quickly. I like to make it in advance and allow the flavours to meld before reheating it over a low flame, but that’s not at all necessary. Serves 4.

Ingredients

3 aubergines (eggplants), cut in bite size chunks
½ red onion, sliced
4 garlic cloves, minced
1 inch piece ginger, grated
1 red chilli, deseeded and chopped
400g chickpeas (garbanzo beans)
1 can light coconut milk, shaken well to combine
200g can tomatoes (half a regular can)
50g greens of choice, in bite-size pieces
1/2 cup vegetable broth
1/2 tsp turmeric
Pinch cinnamon
1 tbsp soy sauce
1 tsp lime juice
1 tsp salt
1 tsp maple syrup
2 heaped tsp suitable-for-vegan massaman curry paste (if you can’t find this, use a suitable-for-vegan red curry paste)

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 180C. Line a baking tray with a silicone sheet or parchment, and add the aubergine in a single layer. Roast for 20 minutes, and then remove from the oven.
2. Meanwhile, heat a large stainless steel pot over a medium-low heat until hot. Add the onions and sauté for 2 minutes until softened and lightly coloured, adding a few drops of water if the onion starts to stick. Add the garlic, ginger, and chilli for 30 seconds more, stirring constantly.
3. Add the rest of the ingredients, including the aubergine, to the pot. Simmer for 5 minutes to warm everything through and allow the flavours to merge a little. Serve with some rice, or other grain.