Ingredients
- 1kg eggplant
- 1.5 cups quinoa cooked (boiled and drained)
- 1 cup cooked lentils
- 2-3 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1.5 teaspoons paprika
- 1.5 teaspoons cumin
- 1/4 teaspoon (or more) chilli flakes
- 2 cups chopped tomatoes
- 1/2 cup of water
- 1 teaspoon salt
- Black pepper, to taste
- 1 bay leaf
- 1 teaspoon lemon juice
- 1/2 cup (a large handful) coriander, chopped
- Olive oil for roasting the eggplant and for finishing the salad
Method
- Peel the eggplant and slice lengthwise into 2cm thick slices. Line a tray with baking paper and lay the eggplant out evenly then drizzle with 2 tablespoons of olive oil and a pinch of salt.
- Roast eggplant in the oven at 200°c until cooked and golden brown. Once cooked, remove from the oven and cool for a few minutes.
- In a large pan over medium-high heat, saute 1 tablespoon of olive oil and the garlic for around 30 seconds. Add the paprika, cumin, and chilli flakes and bloom the spices in the hot oil for 10 seconds before quickly adding the chopped tomatoes, water, salt, black pepper, and bay leaf. Let the sauce simmer for 5 minutes.
- Chop the cooked eggplant slices into bite-sized pieces then add them to the pan, stirring to combine. Reduce the heat to medium-low, cover, and leave to simmer for another 5 minutes. The eggplant should now be fully cooked and tender but shouldn’t have disintegrated.
- Remove from the heat and stir in the lemon juice, a tablespoon of olive oil and the chopped coriander then toss with the cooked quinoa and lentils. Give it a taste for seasoning and adjust accordingly. Serve warm or chilled.
