I made this dish for my mum's birthday, and despite her having lovingly marinated and then perfectly cooked an entire frigging salmon for the occasion, it was this dish everyone wanted the recipe for (sorry mum!). Taken from the brilliant Diana Henry book, 'Simple', this dish is easy to prepare and a nice take on the humble chickpea. The unexpected addition of dates is a clever way of offsetting the starch and spice with a hit of fudgey sweetness.
What's the A to V?
Chickpeas are a great source of manganese, and vitamin B9 - better known as folate. These legumes also pack a good punch of copper, phosphorus and non-heme iron, while the aubergine bring some vitamin B6 to the table.
Ingredients (serves 2-3):
Olive oil
1 aubergine, sliced into rounds and then quartered
1 x 400g tin of chickpeas
1 large onion, chopped into generous chunks
4 medjool dates, thinly sliced
10 walnuts, toasted for a couple of minutes in the oven
1 tbsp of cumin
1 tbsp of harissa
Generous handful of coriander and dill, and a squeeze of lemon juice to serve
For the sauce
1 large clove of garlic
2 tbsps of tahini
3 tbsps of yoghurt (you can use coconut yogurt to make this dairy free if you need)
2tbsps of olive oil
Generous splash of water
Salt and pepper
Method
Slice your aubergine into thick rounds, and then halve or quarter them. Chop your onion into chunks, and then dress both with the harissa, cumin, and olive oil before roasting for around 30 minutes at 190 degrees.
While that's cooking, mix your ingredients for the sauce in a blender, and mix until you have a smooth consistency. Taste as you go, and adjust the ratio of ingredients to preference (i.e. a bit more yoghurt, or more oil).
When your aubergine and onion are cooked (you want them cooked through, and slightly browned), drain your chickpeas and heat them with your dates in a shallow pan with a splash of olive oil until warm. Squeeze some lemon, grate a bit of pepper, and toss the herbs into your pan.
Mix well with your aubergine, and serve with the yogurt and toasted walnuts scattered on top.