Aubergine with Tahini, Pomegranate, and Yoghurt

Kip

18 years ago

This is a veganised version of a recipe from Claudia Roden's Arabesque, one of my favourite cookbooks, full of delicious recipes which are both simple and easily veganised.

People ask me why I want books with so many non-veggie recipes inside and my response is that it simply inspires more creativity in the kitchen! What can I use to replace the chicken? Can I find a gluten-based substitute for the pork? What mock-meat products on the market might make a good replacement?

Aubergine with Tahini, Pomegranate, and Yoghurt

Serves two

Ingredients
- two aubergines (eggplants)
- extra virgin olive oil
- salt
- 1 tablespoon pomegranate molasses
- 1 tablespoon white wine vinegar
- 200g soy yoghurt (if it's thin, try straining it in cheesecloth for a few hours first)
- ½ teaspoon lemon juice
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tablespoon tahini

Directions/Method
1. Preheat the oven to a very high temperature, at 240° C (475° F).
2. Cut the aubergine either across or lengthways into 1.25cm thick slices. Oil both sides of the slices, sprinkle with a little salt, and place them on an oiled sheet of foil on a baking sheet.
3. Bake for 30 minutes, turning once halfway through.
4. Meanwhile, mix together yoghurt with the tahini, lemon, and garlic (tip: you can fry the garlic in a little oil for 20 or 30 seconds before adding to the yoghurt; the flavour infuses more quickly into the yoghurt this way).
5. Mix pomegranate molasses together with the white wine vinegar and about a tablespoon of extra virgin olive oil. When the aubergine slices are ready, arrange on a serving plate and brush both sides of the slices liberally with the pomegranate-vinegar dressing.
6. Serve with yoghurt mixtue sprinkled on top.