Roasted baby aubergine salad with spiced yoghurt dressing recipe
One reason I love aubergine is because it can absorb cooking sauces and dressings so well, almost fooling us into believing it is creating those flavours. Another reason – and not many people know this – is that it contains more nicotine than any other edible plant. Nicotine is a natural appetite suppressant. No wonder aubergine is known in many parts of the world as the ‘king of vegetables’. If you prefer, this salad can be served as a main course for two, with fresh crusty bread.
Ingredients
For the salad- 8 baby aubergines, halved lengthways
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tbsp olive oil
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 0.5 tsp turmeric
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 1 tsp grated fresh root ginger
- 0.5 tsp dried chilli flakes
- 150 g low-fat Greek yoghurt
- 1 pinch sea salt, adjust to taste
- 1 handful pomegranate seeds
- 1 tbsp coarsely chopped pistachio nuts
- 1 tbsp chopped fresh coriander
Details
- Cuisine: British
- Recipe Type: Salad
- Difficulty: Easy
- Preparation Time: 15 mins
- Cooking Time: 20 mins
- Serves: 4
Step-by-step
- Preheat the oven to 240C/gas mark 9.
- Brush the cut side of the baby aubergines with the olive oil and place them on a baking tray. Bake in the preheated oven for 15-20 minutes or until the aubergines are light brown in colour. Remove from the oven and allow to cool.
- Now make the dressing. Pour the olive oil into a non-stick pan, add the cumin seeds and heat on a high heat until the seeds start to sizzle – this should take no longer than 2-3 minutes.
- Remove from the heat and quickly mix in the turmeric while the oil is still hot. Allow the oil-and-spice mixture to cool down.
- In a mixing bowl, combine the garlic, ginger and chilli flakes with the yoghurt. Pour in the cooled oil-and-spice mixture and combine. Add salt to taste.
- To assemble the salad, place the roasted aubergine halves on a serving plate and pour over the prepared dressing. Scatter the pomegranate seeds, pistachio nuts and coriander over the top.
Recipe taken from The Superfood Diet by Gurpareet Bains, published by Absolute Press.
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