Indonesian Roast Aubergines with Spicy Peanut Sauce Recipe

Ingredients

200g white basmati rice
2 aubergines
5 tsp olive oil
Sea salt and freshly ground pepper
35g peanuts
1 garlic clove
2 shallots
1 chilli
1 lime
2 tsp demerara sugar
2 tbsp tamari
2 large handfuls of lamb's lettuce

Add Ingredients To Basket

Method

1. Heat your oven to 200°C/Fan 180°C/Gas 6. Tip the rice into a large bowl and cover with cold water. Whisk for 1-2 mins till the water goes cloudy. Drain the rice, rinse under cold water and tip back into the bowl. Cover with cold water and set aside to soak.

2. Halve the aubergines. Slice a criss-cross pattern into the cut-side of each aubergine half. Pop them in a roasting tin. Brush each aubergine half with 1 tsp oil. Season with a little salt and pepper. Roast in the oven for 35-40 mins till tender and a little charred.

3. Warm a small pan over a medium heat and add the peanuts. Toast for 2 mins till golden brown. Tip onto a clean tea towel and leave to cool for 5 mins, then rub off the skins. Roughly chop the peanuts.

4. Peel and grate or crush the garlic. Peel and finely chop the shallots. Halve the chilli. For less heat, slice out the seeds and white bits. Finely chop the chilli. Finely grate the zest from the lime and juice it.

5. Put the small pan back on the hob over a low heat. Add 1 tsp oil, the garlic, shallots and chilli. Cook and stir over a low heat for 5 mins till softened. Stir in the lime zest, 2 tsp Demerara sugar, the tamari and 100ml boiling water. Put the peanuts back in. Cover and simmer for 10 mins. Take off the heat.

6. Drain the rice and rinse again. Tip into a pan. Add 400ml boiling water and a pinch of salt. Cover and bring to the boil. Turn the heat down very low and simmer for 8 mins till all the water is absorbed.

7. Take the rice off the heat. Take the lid off. Lay a tea towel over the pan, put the lid back on and set aside to steam for 2-4 mins to finish cooking rice.

8. Add the lime juice to the peanut sauce. Taste and add more sugar if you think it needs it – the sauce should be sour, sweet and spicy. Put it back on the heat and warm for 2-3 mins if it needs. Serve the roast aubergines with the rice, with sauce poured over the top and lamb’s lettuce on the side.

LesleyS

Rating

I made this for my son and his intended, which was possibly foolhardy of me, because they're obsessed with aubergines, and it was a massive hit. The aubergines were superb - straight from box to roasting tin with no salting or brining, and no bitterness. Because they're sold in pairs, I had to buy four for three people, which means that I have one aubergine and a bit of sauce left over. I am happy.

Fred