This recipe is inspired from the book Fresh India by Meera Sodha.
Serves 4 as a main course.
Ingredients
120g walnuts
4 medium aubergines (1.2 kg)
Olive oil
Salt and ground black pepper
2 large red onions, peeled and thinly sliced
2 garlic cloves peeled and crushed
1 1/2 tbsp honey
1 tsp chilli powder (or not…)
2 tsp ground cinnamon
2 tbsp pomegranate molasses
250ml hot water
Seeds from 1 pomegranate
Generous handful fresh parsley, roughly chopped
Method
Chop the walnuts to a fine crumb in a food processor.
Cut the aubergines into batons, toss in oil, salt and pepper in a roasting tray. Roast for 25 minutes at 200ºC (180ºC fan).
Very gently fry the onions for about 10 minutes in a pan with 3 tablespoons of olive oil, stirring every couple of minutes.
Add the garlic and fry for a couple of minutes.
Stir in the honey, chilli power (if using), cinnamon, 1/2 teaspoon of salt, black pepper to your taste, the walnuts and pomegranate molasses. Add the hot water and cook gently for around 8 minutes until the sauce thickens a little and pleases you.
Place the sauce on the base of a serving dish. Place the cooked aubergines on top of the sauce. Scatter the pomegranate seeds and parsley over the aubergines.
Serve with rice or another grain.
