Aubergine kebabs with charred onion salsa

45 MINUTES | SERVES 6

EASY |

V LC GF

Salting the aubergines first means they suck up far less oil from the marinade and is important for the texture, so don’t skip it. Cooking them in thin strips keeps them soft and maximises the surface area, meaning you get more flavour from the spice mixture. Serve with couscous and plenty of yogurt.

aubergines 3, sliced lengthways into

1/2cm slices

pomegranate molasses 3 tbsp

ground cumin 2 tbsp

ground cinnamon Ω tsp

aleppo pepper flakes 2 tbsp

(see cook’s notes)

sumac 1 tbsp (see cook’s notes)

olive oil 6 tbsp

CHARRED ONION SALSA

onions 4 medium, sliced into thick rounds

garlic 4 cloves, crushed

mint leaves 2 tbsp, finely shredded

dried chilli flakes 1/2 tbsp

olive oil 4 tbsp

lemon juice 2 tbsp

TO SERVE couscous mixed with soft herbs

(such as mint and coriander)

greek yogurt seasoned with salt

• Light the barbecue. Meanwhile, sprinkle the aubergine slices on both sides with 1 tbsp of salt. Allow to drain in a colander or sieve for 30 minutes, then rinse and pat dry.

• To make the salsa, put the onion slices over direct heat on the barbecue (skewering them first will make them more stable) and cook for 8 minutes or until lightly charred on both sides. Finely chop and mix with the other salsa ingredients, plus some salt and pepper. Set aside.

• Combine the molasses, cumin, cinnamon, aleppo pepper, sumac and olive oil, and mix to a paste. Brush evenly over the aubergine slices and thread them, concertina style, onto six skewers, packing them quite tightly.

• Cook on the barbecue for 15-20 minutes, turning occasionally, or until soft and lightly charred. Serve with the onion salsa, herby couscous and yogurt.

COOK’S NOTES

Aleppo pepper, or pul biber, is a dried, crushed, mild red pepper from Turkey. Find in larger supermarkets and online, or use a pinch of dried chilli flakes or mild chilli powder instead. Sumac is dried and coarsely ground berries that has a citrussy flavour. It’s available from larger supermarkets and online.

PER SERVING 273 KCALS | FAT 20.6G

SATURATES 3G | CARBS 13.7G | SUGARS 10.5G

FIBRE 8.5G | PROTEIN 3.9G | SALT 0.9G