Adapted from a vegan Meera Sodha recipe.
Think of this recipe as a starting point: you could drop the spices or add a spoonful of harissa, Thai curry paste, some lemongrass, perhaps – you choose! – to change up the flavours, and swap the chickpeas for whatever tinned beans you have in the cupboard. Obviously, you could omit the haloumi.
Maybe serve with a crisp green salad and bread to wipe the plate
Prep 5 min Cook 1 hr 10 min Serves 4-6
INGREDIENTS
100ml extra-virgin olive oil, plus extra for brushing
2-3 medium aubergines (about 775g)
6 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed
2-3 x 400g tins chopped tomatoes (preferably cherry tomatoes)
1½ tsp salt
½ tsp ground black pepper
¾ tsp ground cinnamon
3 tsp (or more) ras-el-hanout
1-2 x 400g tins chickpeas, drained
1 packet of halloumi cheese sliced 1 cm thick (optional)
To serve
200g thick yoghurt
2 tbsp tahini mixed with 2 tbsp water
Scant ½ tsp fine sea salt
Mint leaves, chopped
METHOD
Heat the oven to 200C (180C fan)/390F/gas 6. Line a large baking sheet (or two medium ones) with reusable baking paper and brush with oil.
Chop the aubergines into 1½cm-thick rounds, put these side by side on the baking tray(s) and brush the tops with oil.
Put the oil and crushed garlic in a 30cm x 40cm baking dish, then add the tomatoes, salt, pepper, cinnamon and ras-el-hanout, and stir gently to combine.
Pop the aubergine tray(s) and tomato dish in the oven and cook for 30 minutes, until the aubergine slices are collapsing when squished together; if they’re not, bake them for another five to 10 minutes. Scrape the aubergines into the tomato dish, add the chickpeas and mix. Then place 1cm thick slices of haloumi in the sauce and bake for another 30 minutes, by which time the sauce should be oily, dark and rich.
Meanwhile, mix the yoghurt, loosened tahini and salt in a pretty serving bowl. Spoon the aubergines, tomatoes and chickpeas into another large bowl, add a generous dollop of the tahini yoghurt, scatter over the mint leaves and serve with the remaining yoghurt mix on the side.
