This recipe is really easy and tastes fantastic… the aubergine caramelises in the baking process and becomes sweet and sticky with a hint of chilli. You could have it on its own with the rice, with roast fish or as a side dish with sashimi.

Recipe 
Serves 2

Ingredients

1 aubergine
2 tablespoons of maple syrup
2 tablespoons  of toasted sesame oil
2 tablespoons of soya sauce
2 cloves of garlic minced
a pinch of chilli flakes and half a red chilli very finely sliced
2 spring onions finely chopped or julienned
1 tablespoon of sesame seeds
half a cup of raw black Venus rice or sushi rice

How

Preheat the oven to 200c

Cook the rice according to the instructions on the packet and while it is cooking prepare the aubergine.
Cut the stalks off of the aubergine and discard then chop it into fat strips lengthwise, or chunks. Place in an oven proof dish, or pan. Mix the maple syrup, sesame oil, garlic, soya sauce, chilli flakes together in a bowl. Pour over the aubergine and coat each piece. Bake for about thirty minutes, stirring occasionally to coat the aubergine pieces.
Serve the aubergine on the rice with its sauce and sprinkle with the chopped chilli and sesame then top with the spring onions.

I shop at:
Waitrose
Sainsbury’s
Tesco
Lidl