You can already taste it as it’s visualised – charred eggplant skin underneath tender, silky flesh, coupled with lentils and the tartness and crunch of pomegranate seeds. A tasty, wholesome and unique Mediterranean dish fit for a feast or a solo meal.
Ingredients
- 4 small eggplants (920 g)
- 2 tbsps tahini
- 2 tbsps pomegranate molasses
- 2 tbsps extra virgin olive oil
- 1 tsp sea salt flakes
LENTIL & POMEGRANATE CRUNCH
- 1 medium lemon (140 g)
- 400 g can lentils, drained, rinsed
- ¾ cup (85 g) roasted walnuts, chopped coarsely
- ½ medium pomegranate (160 g), seeds removed (see tip)
- ½ cup flat-leaf parsley leaves
GREEN YOGHURT
- 1½ cups (420 g) Greek-style yoghurt
- 60 g baby spinach leaves
- 1 cup coriander leaves
Steps
Preheat a large grill pan (or plate) over high heat.
Halve eggplant lengthways. Score deep diagonal lines 2 cm apart in a cross-cross pattern into eggplant flesh, using a small knife (don’t pierce the skin). Place eggplant, skin-side down, in hot pan. Cover with foil (or a large oven tray); cook for 15 mins or until skin is charred and eggplant flesh is soft. Turn eggplant; cook, cut-side down, for a further 5 mins or until flesh is very soft. Carefully transfer eggplant, cut-side up, to a shallow roasting pan.
Stir tahini, pomegranate molasses, olive oil, salt and 2 tbsps water in a small bowl until combined.
Preheat oven grill (broiler) to medium heat.
Brush each eggplant half with 1½ tbsps of the tahini mixture. Place eggplant under the grill for 10 minutes or until dark golden and starting to caramelise.
Meanwhile, make lentil and pomegranate crunch, then green yoghurt.
Serve eggplant topped with lentil crunch, drizzled with green yoghurt.
LEMTIL & POMEGRANATE CRUNCH
Finely grate rind from lemon into a bowl. Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Season.
GREEN YOGHURT
Add remaining ingredients; mix well. Season. Process ingredients in a small food processor until smooth. Season.
TIP To remove pomegranate seeds (arils), cut a whole pomegranate in half crossways; hold it, cut-side down, in the palm of your hand over a large bowl, then hit the outside firmly with a wooden spoon. The seeds should fall out easily; discard any white pith that falls out with them. Pomegranate seeds can be stored in an airtight container in the fridge for up to a week.
Photo: bauersyndication.com.au