Chickpea & Aubergine Curry With Tomato Brown Rice & Cultured Coconut

Preheat the oven to 200°C/ 180°C (fan)/ gas 6

Boil half a kettle

Rinse your brown rice, add it to a pot with plenty of cold water and bring to the boil over a high heat

Once boiling, reduce the heat to medium and cook for 20-25 min or until it's tender with a slight bite

Once cooked, drain, return it to the pot and keep covered until serving

Trim the green stalk[s] off your aubergine[s] and chop into bite-sized pieces

Peel and finely slice your brown onion[s] finely

Add the chopped aubergine to a baking tray (or two!) with a generous drizzle of vegetable oil and a pinch of salt

Put the tray[s] in the oven for 25 min or until the aubergine is soft and golden brown

Meanwhile, heat a large, wide-based pan (preferably non-stick) with a drizzle of vegetable oil over a medium heat

Once hot, add the sliced onion and cook for 5-6 min or until softened and starting to caramelise

Whilst the onion is cooking, peel and finely chop (or grate) your garlic

Peel (scrape the skin off with a teaspoon) and finely chop (or grate) your ginger

Add the chopped garlic and ginger to a pestle & mortar with your ground cumin, tomato paste and curry powder and bash into a smooth paste (or pulse in a food processor!)

Add 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] olive oil and stir it all together – this is your spice paste

Once the onion has softened, add the spice paste to the pan and cook for 2-3 min or until fragrant

Once fragrant, add your vegetable stock mix with 125ml [165ml] [215ml] boiled water and your chopped tomatoes and cook for 2-3 min or until slightly thickened

Meanwhile, drain and rinse your chickpeas, add to the pan with the sauce and cook for 3-4 min

Add the roasted aubergine to the pan with your garam masala and a pinch of salt, give everything a good mix up and cook for a final 1-2 min or until everything's warmed through – this is your chickpea & aubergine curry

Chop your coriander finely, including the stalks

Dice your tomato[es] roughly