Roast aubergines with jewelled rice and tahini dressing
This makes a colourful and tasty vegan main course that is perfect for a dinner party or special meal.
Ingredients
For the roast vegetables
- 3 aubergines, halved lengthways
- 4 tbsp vegetable oil
- 600g/1lb 5oz butternut squash, peeled and cut into 2cm/¾in cubes
- 4 spring onions, green parts only, thinly sliced
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- lime wedges, to serve
For the rice
- 250g/9oz jasmine rice
- 1 tsp salt
- ½ cinnamon stick
- 1 whole dried Persian lime (optional)
- 1 tbsp vegetable oil
- 100g/3½oz dried cranberries
- 1 pomegranate, seeds only
- 1 small bunch fresh chives, finely snipped
- ½ lime, very finely chopped (including skin)
- ½ lime, juice only
For the tahini sauce
- 1 garlic clove, chopped
- 4 spring onions, white parts only, chopped
- ½ green chilli, deseeded and chopped
- 250g/9oz tahini
- 2 tbsp soy sauce
- 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
- 4½ tbsp date molasses
Method
For the roast vegetables, preheat the oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9. Use a small knife to score the flesh of the aubergines in a crisscross pattern, taking care not to cut through the skin. Cut each aubergine in half across the middle widthways and place in a roasting tin. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Roast for 20–25 minutes, or until golden. Place the butternut squash in a separate roasting tin and drizzle with the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 15–20 minutes, or until golden. Leave the oven on.
Meanwhile, to make the rice, bring 500ml/18fl oz of water to the boil in a saucepan. Add the rice, salt, cinnamon, lime (if using) and oil and bring back to the boil. Stir, reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes, then turn off the heat. Leave covered for another 15 minutes before tipping the rice onto a large tray to cool slightly.
To make the tahini sauce, place the garlic, white spring onions and chilli in a food processor. Blitz until puréed. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and 50ml/2fl oz of water and pulse until a thick paste has formed.
Carefully spread a spoonful of the tahini sauce over the top of each piece of aubergine. Return to the oven for 6 minutes, or until the tahini topping is just golden and crispy.
Stir the roasted butternut cubes, green spring onions, dried cranberries, most of the pomegranate seeds and chives and the finely chopped lime into the rice. Squeeze the lime juice over the rice and stir to combine.
Spoon the rice onto a serving platter and top with the aubergines. Garnish with the remaining chives and pomegranates and serve immediately with the lime wedges.
