Steamed aubergines with charred chilli salsa

Name: Steamed aubergines with charred chilli salsa
Prep time: 10 min
Cook time: 55 min
Total time: 1 h 5 min
Yield: 4 servings
Ingredients: 2 large aubergines (700g); 2 spring onions, trimmed and very finely sliced into 6cm-long strips; 1½ tbsp roasted and salted almonds, roughly chopped; 1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely sliced; 2 large, mild red chillies (for a milder salsa, use just one, and remove its pith and seeds); 140g cherry tomatoes, finely chopped; 1½ tsp sherry vinegar, plus ½ tsp extra to serve; Flaked sea salt; 40ml olive oil; 2 small garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped; 1 tsp very finely chopped fresh ginger

Prep Time: 10 minutes

Cook Time: 55 minutes

Total Time: 1 hour 5 minutes

Servings: 4 servings

Steamed aubergines have a definite silky texture and an incredible ability to soak up other flavours from their surrounding ingredients. This dish makes the most of this with a mildly spicy salsa to make a fantastic side dish or a meal all to itself.

Tags:

Fusion Side Dishes Vegan Vegetables Vegetarian

Ingredients

2 large aubergines (700g)
2 spring onions, trimmed and very finely sliced into 6cm-long strips
1½ tbsp roasted and salted almonds, roughly chopped
1 tbsp coriander leaves, finely sliced

For the salsa

2 large, mild red chillies (for a milder salsa, use just one, and remove its pith and seeds)

140g cherry tomatoes, finely chopped

1½ tsp sherry vinegar, plus ½ tsp extra to serve

Flaked sea salt

For the garlic and ginger oil

40ml olive oil

2 small garlic cloves, peeled and very finely chopped

1 tsp very finely chopped fresh ginger

Method

For the salsa, put a frying pan on a high heat and, once very hot, add the chillies and dry-fry, turning a few times, for about 10 minutes, until well charred all over. Transfer to a small bowl, cover with a saucer and leave to soften for 10 minutes. Remove and discard the pith and seeds from one of the chillies, then finely chop both chillies, including the charred skin. Put in a bowl with the tomatoes, vinegar and a quarter-teaspoon of flaked salt, and stir.

For the garlic and ginger oil, put everything a small frying pan with half a teaspoon of flaked salt and turn the heat to its lowest setting. Leave to cook very gently, stirring occasionally, for about eight minutes, until the garlic and ginger soften and give way when pressed with the back of a spoon. Make sure the oil is not too hot or the garlic will burn: if it does start to bubble, just take it off the heat to cool down.

Cut the aubergines into 7cm x 2cm batons, then toss in a bowl with two tablespoons of flaked salt. Fill a large saucepan for which you have a lid with enough water to come 4cm up the sides and bring to a boil. Place a steamer (or colander) over the pan, add the aubergine batons and cover with the lid (or seal tightly with foil), to prevent the steam escaping. Turn down the heat to medium and steam the aubergines for 20-25 minutes, until very soft but still holding their shape. Lift off the steamer and put in the sink to drain for five minutes.

Transfer the drained aubergines to a platter, drizzle over the extra half-teaspoon of vinegar and season with a quarter-teaspoon of flaked salt. Add three-quarters of the spring onions and gently toss through. Spoon the salsa on top, then drizzle over the garlic and ginger oil. Scatter on the almonds, coriander and the remaining spring onions, and serve.