Aubergines have a pretty bad rap, don’t you think? If they’re not cooked right, they can be pretty bland and the texture a little ‘off’, but this recipe roasts them until they’re falling apart and then stuffs them with a tasty lentil and chickpea mix cooked down with harissa and spices. This could easily convert and aubergine hater. It’s lovely served with the tahini sauce over brown rice for a midweek dinner, but they could also be served as part of a bigger mezze for a weekend feast!
Lentil stuffed aubergines
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Ingredients
- 3 aubergines
- 2 tbsp extra virgin olive oil
- 1 red onion, diced
- 2 garlic cloves, crushed
- 1 tsp cumin seeds
- 1 1/2 tsp harissa paste
- 1 tsp smoked paprika
- 1 lemon
- 1 tin chickpeas, drained and rinsed
- 1 pouch Puy lentils, cooked
- 1 tin chopped tomatoes
- 4 tsp tahini
- 3 tbsp plain yoghurt (dairy or dairy-free)
- 3 servings brown rice, cooked
- Handful pomegranate seeds
- Handful mint leaves
Instructions
Preheat the oven to 180c and line two baking trays with parchment.
Next, slice the aubergines in half lengthways and using a sharp knife score a criss cross line pattern into the aubergine.
Place them on the baking trays and drizzle 1 tbsp worth of olive oil between all 6 halves.
Put the baking trays in the oven for 25 minutes.
Meanwhile, in a large saucepan on a medium heat, add the remaining tablespoon of oil along with the diced red onion and garlic.
Saute for a few minutes before adding the cumin seeds, harissa paste, smoked paprika and juice from 1/2 of the lemon.
Next pour in the chickpeas and Puy lentils and coat them evenly in the spices.
Next add the chopped tomatoes, combine and let simmer on a low heat until the aubergines have finished roasting, stirring occasionally.
Meanwhile, prepare the tahini sauce by combining the tahini, yoghurt and juice from the remaining half of the lemon.
Once the aubergines are cooked, remove them from the oven and allow to cool slightly before carefully removing half of the inside of the aubergines (save this and make your own baba ganoush).
Stuff the aubergines with the lentil filling before placing on top of a bed of brown rice.
Drizzle with the tahini sauce and garnish with pomegranate seeds and mint leaves. Enjoy!
