Eggplant Mujaddara; Middle Eastern Fried Rice and Lentils with Tahini Sauce

 Suitable for vegans and vegetarians. Serves 2. 

Prep time: 30 mins. Cooking time: 40 mins.

Ingredients:

• 100g brown rice, 
• 100g green lentils, 
• 470ml water, 
• 2 small to medium sized eggplants, chopped into roughly 2cm cubes, 
• 2 red onions, thinly sliced, 
• 6 to 8 cherry tomatoes, chopped in half, 
• 4 or 5 cloves of garlic, minced, 
• 50g pickled gherkins, finely chopped, 
• 2 tsp ras el hanout, 
• 1.5 tsp oregano, 
• 1.5 tsp dried thyme, 
• 1 tbsp ground cumin, 
• 0.25 tsp cayenne, 
• 0.25 tsp allspice, 
• a tiny pinch of cinnamon, 
• sumac to garnish, 
• dill leaves to garnish.

For Tahini Sauce:

• 2 tbsp tahini, 
• 6 tbsp water, 
• 0.5 tsp coarse sea salt, 
• 1 tsp lemon juice.

Method:

• First, place the onions in a bowl and season well with salt. Leave them to the side for about 30 minutes to draw moisture out. This way, they will get crispier when you caramelise them later. After 30 minutes, drain off the liquid and pat the onions dry.
• Place the eggplant chunks on a baking sheet and season well with salt. Again, this is to draw moisture out of the vegetable and will lead to a better texture when cooked. Let sit for 30 minutes before patting dry.
• While the salted veg is resting, add the rice, lentils, and water to a small saucepan with a little salt and pepper and place on a high heat. Bring to a boil and then reduce heat to low and cover. Simmer for 30 to 35 minutes or until the rice and lentils are tender and all the water has been absorbed.
• Meanwhile, place a large skillet or wok over medium heat with 3 tbsp of olive oil. Add the onions and cook them gently, stirring often, for around 25 minutes. They should caramelise deeply and turn slightly crispy. Remove from the skillet and place on a paper towel to absorb excess oil.
• Return the skillet to medium high heat and add a little more oil if needed. Add the eggplant chunks. Sauté for 7 to 8 minutes or until they are soft and slightly caramelised on the edges. Add the ras el hanout, oregano, and thyme and toss to coat the eggplant. Taste for seasoning. Because you already salted the eggplant, you may not need to add any more at this point.
• Remove the eggplant from the skillet. Add a little more oil if needed and add the garlic, cherry tomatoes, and pickles. Cook for 1-2 minutes or until fragrant.
• Add the cooked rice and lentils along with the cumin, cayenne, allspice, and cinnamon. Fry for 2-3 minutes, stirring and tossing often, getting a little bit of crispiness on the rice and lentils.
• Add the eggplant back in and mix to combine. Season with salt and pepper if needed. Once everything is well combined, remove from the heat.
• To make the tahini sauce, add the tahini and water to a bowl and whisk together. At first it will look like a split mayo, then it will start to thicken up a lot, then it will start to develop a nice, creamy texture. You may need to add a little more water if it looks too thick or more tahini if it is too runny. Add the salt and lemon juice and mix well.
• Serve the eggplant mujaddara with some of the caramelised onions on top and drizzle with tahini sauce. Add a little dill and sumac for an additional garnish.