Persian aubergine lentils, pomegranate and mint rice
3 years ago
Nutrition
We take inspiration from Iranian cuisine and its cornerstone ingredients for this delicate lentil dish, featuring warm cinnamon, mint-laced yoghurt, soft aubergine and tart pomegranate. A colourful, hearty dinner.
Serves: 2
Cook time: 30 minutes
Ingredients:
120g cherry tomatoes
½ lemon
½ pomegranate
½ tbsp oil
½ vegetable stock cube
1 aubergine
1 baby cucumber
1 brown onion
240g lentils in water (drained)
2 tbsp Middle Eastern spice mix
2 tbsp tomato puree
80g brown rice
80ml coconut yoghurt
Medium handful of fresh mint
Method
1. Boil a kettle. Rinse the brown rice and place into a saucepan with 400ml boiling water and a pinch of sea salt. Simmer for 20-25 mins.
2. Dice the aubergine into small 1cm pieces and finely dice the onion.
3. Heat a large pan with ½ tbsp oil on a medium-high heat and cook the aubergine and onion for 8-10 mins until turning golden. Stir in the Middle Eastern spice mix and cook for 1-2 mins.
4. Meanwhile, dissolve the half vegetable stock cube in a jug with 200ml boiling water. Drain and rinse the lentils and cut the cherry tomatoes in half. Add the tomato puree, cherry tomatoes, vegetable stock and lentils to the pan and simmer for 10 mins until thickened. Squeeze in some lemon juice (to taste) and season with sea salt and black pepper.
5. Make the tzatziki: roughly chop the mint leaves, grate half the baby cucumber and finely dice the other half. Squeeze as much liquid as you can from the grated cucumber, then place the cucumber in a small bowl (discarding the liquid) and stir through the coconut yoghurt, half of the mint and a pinch of sea salt (to taste). Add a little cold water to thin the mix if needed.
6. Slice the pomegranate in half and remove the seeds from one half. Drain the brown rice and stir through the diced cucumber, pomegranate seeds and remaining mint leaves.
7. Spoon the Persian aubergine lentils onto two warm plates alongside the pomegranate rice and tzatziki.
584calories • 93.5g carbs • 15g fat • 22.5g protein
Allergens: Celery
Recipe courtesy of Mindful Chef
