麻豆约拍

This vegan version of a Middle Eastern sharing dish would make the perfect centrepiece for a gathering of family and friends and is great served with roasted pumpkin and red onions.

Ingredients

• 2 large aubergine diced into 1 inch cubes
• 3 strands saffron, soaked in 1 tbsp warm water
• 2 tablespoons cumin, toasted until fragrant
• 3 tbsps rapeseed oil
• 1 white onion, diced
• 5 cloves garlic, crushed
• 1 inch ginger, peeled, grated
• 陆 聽cup (125ml) basmati rice
• 陆 聽cup (125ml) water
• 陆 聽tbsp ground coriander
• 1 tsp cinnamon
• 陆 tsp turmeric
• 1 tbsp sea salt
• 2 red onions, diced
• 1 red pepper, diced
• 陆 聽red chilli, seeds removed, finely chopped
• 400g plum tomatoes, crushed
• 400g tinned chickpeas, drained
• 3 vine tomatoes, sliced
• 3 sprigs thyme
• 1/2 head cauliflower florets, sliced
• Pine nuts to garnish

Preheat oven at 200'C, arrange aubergine on a baking tray, drizzle lightly with rapeseed oil, sprinkle with salt, pepper and half a tbsp of the cumin seeds and bake for 20-25 minutes until golden.聽

Fry another half tbsp. of cumin as well as the ginger 聽in 1 tbsp oil until fragrant before adding garlic and onions, cook over a medium heat with a lid on until translucent but not coloured, add rice for approximately one minute until the grains have absorbed the spiced oil.聽

Add the water and soaked saffron, bring to the boil, cover with a lid, remove from the heat and allow to steam for 10 minutes or more, keeping covered throughout.聽

In a separate saucepan fry the coriander, cinnamon, turmeric and final 1 tbsp of cumin in oil until fragrant before adding garlic and red onions.聽

Cook over a medium heat until red onions are lightly caramelised, add red pepper and chilli and continue to cook for a few more minutes until the pepper has softened.聽

Add plum tomatoes (removing any remaining skin) and drained chickpeas; simmer for 5 minutes until thickened.聽

To assemble the magluba, lightly oil the bottom of a casserole dish; strip and scatter thyme sprigs across the bottom surface (this will be the top surface at the end of cooking).聽

Next make a layer of the sliced tomatoes followed by a layer of the raw cauliflower.聽

Finally add a layer of the tomato and aubergine sauce followed by the saffron rice before adding the remaining tomato sauce.聽

Press lightly with a lid or smaller casserole dish and bake at 180'C for 45 minutes until firm.聽

Allow to rest a few minutes at room temperature before turning over between two wooden serving boards.聽

Serve with a sprinkling of pine nuts.