With summer in full swing the nightshades are coming on in full force, including beautiful Eggplants.
The recipe has bee adapted from Ripe Delis first cookbook. If you haven’t discovered these books you are missing out! I think they are up to four now.
A I’m a wimp when it comes to chillies, so I have toned down the spice from the original. I also added some red quinoa to make it a little more substantial.
1 tspn ground coriander
2 tspn cumin
1 tspn smoked paprika
1 Tblspn curry powder
a pinch of chilli flakes
½ tspn salt
2 cloves garlic, crushed
¼ cup oil
2 eggplants
½-1 cup of cooked red quinoa
baby spinach or rocket
fresh coriander
½ cup roasted peanuts, roughly chopped
Mix the spices, garlic and oil together to form a paste. Toss the chopped eggplant through the paste until well coated and bake in a moderate over for 30 minutes. You may want to turn them half way through.
When cooled mix the eggplant with the cooked quinoa. Layer a handful of spinach on your platter or bowl and top with half the eggplant and quinoa, some dollops of the yoghurt dressing, coriander and half the peanuts. Repeat this again to finish the salad.
Yoghurt Dressing
1 cup natural Greek yoghurt
1 clove of garlic, crushed
2 Tblspns sweet chilli sauce
1 Tblspn curry powder
½ cup chopped fresh coriander
Mix all the ingredients together. If too thick, thin down with ½ cup cold water.