Preheat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Fill and boil your kettle. Peel and finely chop the onion. Trim the roots and any ragged greens off the spring onions. Finely slice the green spring onion tops and set them aside for later. Roughly chop the white parts. Peel and crush or grate the garlic. Put a small pan on a medium heat and add the onion, white spring onion and the garlic with 4 tbsp water and a pinch of salt and pepper. Fry, stirring often, for 5 mins till the onions start to soften and lightly brown.

Rinse the rice under cold water. Tip it into the pan. Add 150ml boiling water (carefully – it may splutter when it hits the hot pan) then clamp on a lid and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down and gently simmer for 25 mins till the rice has absorbed all the water and is just cooked.

While the rice cooks, halve the aubergines lengthways, then use a small, sharp knife to score a criss-cross into the cut side of the aubergines. Don’t score too deeply – ½cm will be plenty. Pop the aubergines onto a baking tray or into a roasting tin and brush each with ½ tsp oil. Slide into the oven and roast for 25 mins till tender and lightly browned.

While the rice and aubergines cook, halve the chilli, scoop out the seeds and white pith if you prefer less heat, and finely chop the chilli. Add it to a small bowl. Pour in the teriyaki sauce and 1 tbsp sesame oil and stir to mix.

When the aubergines have roasted for 25 mins, take them out of the oven. Spoon over the teriyaki mixture and scatter over 1 tsp sesame seeds. Slide the aubergines back into the oven for 10-15 mins, till sticky and browned.

When the rice has cooked for 25 mins and has absorbed all the water, take the pan off the heat. Fork in the baby leaf spinach, then put the lid back on. Let it steam in the pan for 5-10 mins to finish cooking the rice and wilt the spinach.

Divide the rice between 2 warm plates. Top with the teriyaki aubergines and garnish with the spring onion greens to serve.