GRILLED EGGPLANT WITH TAHINI & YOGHURT DRESSING, POMEGRANATE, CHILLI & MINT

Eggplant is beautiful cooked on the grill, the char accentuating its meatiness, which takes to spice and acidity extremely well.

This is a simple and pretty salad of bold flavours.

SERVES 6–8

4 large eggplants (aubergines), cut lengthways into slices 2 cm thick

2 teaspoons cumin seeds

300 g plain yoghurt

2 tablespoons tahini

2 garlic cloves, finely grated juice of 1 lemon

¼ bunch of mint, leaves picked

1 long green chilli, sliced

1 long red chilli, sliced (optional) ½ pomegranate, seeds reserved pomegranate molasses, to serve

STAPLES

Extra-virgin olive oil, salt flakes and freshly ground black pepper

Preheat a grill pan or barbecue grill on high.

Brush the eggplant slices with oil and season with salt and pepper. Grill for a few minutes on each side, until scorched and tender but still holding their shape. Lay them out separately to cool.

Using a mortar and pestle, roughly grind the cumin seeds with two good pinches of salt. Add the yoghurt, tahini, garlic and lemon juice and mix well. Lay the eggplant on a serving plate and spoon the dressing over. Scatter with the mint, chillies and pomegranate seeds, then drizzle with a little pomegranate molasses and some more oil. This salad is best made near serving time.

Make it different

Roasted pumpkin with tahini & yoghurt dressing, pomegranate, chilli & mint. Instead of eggplant, use roasted pumpkin (winter squash) wedges.