Miso aubergine supper

This light salad makes the perfect vegan midweek dinner recipe for two.

However, double it up, team it with my vibrant rainbow slaw, and you have yourself, the prefect vegan supper for four. Roasted miso aubergine salad

Serves 2 (double up if serving 4) / Hands on time 15 mins / Total time 45 mins

INGREDIENTS

50g bulgur wheat

125ml cold water

½ vegetable stock pot/cube

1 medium aubergine, sliced into 4 quarters lengthways

For the dressing:

1 tbs miso paste

1 tbs maple syrup

1 tsp sesame oil

1 tsp light soy sauce

1 garlic clove, peeled, grated or chopped

For the salad:

2 large handfuls salad leaves

2 spring onions, finely sliced lengthways

1 medium red chill, deseeded and sliced (optional)

Handful cashews, whole or roughly chopped

Toasted sesame oil for drizzle

METHOD

1. Preheat an oven to 200°C/180°C fan/400F/gas mark 6. Line a baking tray with baking paper and put to one side.

2. Measure out the bulgur wheat and pour into a small saucepan along with 125ml of cold water and half a vegetable stock pot/cube. Place over a medium to high heat until boiling before turning down and simmering for 4 mins. Once the water has absorbed, remove from the heat, give it a quick stir and cover with a lid. Put to one side.

3. Slice the aubergine lengthways into 4 quarters and criss cross the flesh. In a small bowl, make the miso glaze by combining the miso, maple syrup, soy sauce, sesame oil and crushed garlic together (if the miso paste you’re using is quite firm, add a small dash of boiling water to it first to help it loosen).

4. Brush the aubergines generously with all of the marinade, all over. Place skin side down, before covering the tray loosely with foil. Roast for 20 mins.

5. Meanwhile, finely slice the chilli and the spring onions. After 20 mins, remove the foil from the aubergines, give them a turn and roast uncovered for a further 5 mins. Turn the aubergines one final time and add the cashews (I like to add mine whole, but you can chop them if you wish). Continue to roast for 3 mins.

6. Turn the oven off but leave the aubergines inside while you assemble the salad. Dress the leaves lightly in sesame oil and season with salt and pepper. Divide the leaves between 2 plates and top with the bulgur wheat, spring onion and chilli. Remove the aubergines and cashews from the oven and top the salad, along with any remaining sticky miso residue from the baking tray.

Cashew rainbow slaw

Serves 4 as a side / Hands on time 20 mins / Total time 20 mins

You’ll need:

A large non-stick frying pan 200g toasted cashew nuts ½ small red cabbage 2 carrots, peeled and grated 1 red pepper, de-seeded and diced Handful fresh coriander, chopped 1 garlic clove, crushed Knob ginger, grated 1 tbs cider vinegar 1 tbs sesame oil 1 tbs runny honey 1 tsp Dijon mustard 1 lime, juiced ½ tsp chilli flakes ½ tsp sea salt flakes

Method

1. Start by putting a large non-stick saucepan over a medium to high heat. Once hot, toast the cashews for a few minutes keeping them moving in the pan until they’re golden. Put to one side.

2. Thinly slice the cabbage, dice the pepper, grate the carrot and chop the coriander. Add them to a large bowl along with the cooled cashews. Stir until combined well.

3. To make the dressing add the grated ginger and the crushed garlic to a small bowl. Mix in the sesame oil, cider vinegar, honey, Dijon mustard, lime juice, chilli flakes and salt.

4. Pour the dressing over the slaw, mix well and serve.