This week from Chef Tom Walton, Roasted Eggplant Salad with Coconut and Red Lentil Dahl. Nourishing, affordable and tasty. The fruit driven Grenache Blanc from Dune is the perfect compliment to the earthy, creaminess of the lentils.
Serves 4
Ingredients
1 large eggplant, sliced lengthways into 4 thick slices
3 tbsp olive oil
Salt and Black pepper
1 cup coriander, roughly chopped
1 tbsp pomegranate molasses
Juice ½ lemon
¼ cup olive oil
1 brown onion, finely diced
2 clove garlic, crushed
2 tsp Keens mild curry powder
2 tomatoes, roughly chopped or 2 tbsp tomato paste
2 cups red lentils
1L vegetable stock
400ml coconut milk
Dukkah to serve
Natural yoghurt to serve, optional
Method
Preheat oven to 200C and line a baking tray with baking paper.
Lay the eggplant slices over a baking tray and brush both sides of slices with the 3tbsp olive oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 15 minutes, until golden and soft. Remove from the oven and cool for 10 minutes before tearing into strips and placing into a bowl. Dress with 1 tbsp pomegranate molasses, lemon juice, black pepper and half the coriander.
Combine the ¼ cup olive oil, onion into a medium saucepan with a good pinch of salt. Cook over a medium heat stirring often until beginning to caramelise about 4 minutes. Add the garlic, curry powder, a good crack of pepper and the tomatoes and continue to cook for another 2-3 minutes until the tomatoes break down and turn a bit jammy.
Add the lentils to the pan and cook for another minute stirring then add the stock and simmer for 5 minutes stiring before adding the coconut milk and continue to cook until the lentils are soft, and the liquid almost absorbed but still moist. Add a little more water if necessary. Stir through the remaining coriander leaves, adjust seasoning and serve with the eggplant and dukkah. Some yoghurt is also a welcome addition.
Serve the dahl topped with the yoghurt, eggplant salad and an extra drizzle of pomegranate molasses.