Grilled Miso Aubergine & Edamame Salad With Brown Rice

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

Meanwhile, preheat the grill to medium-high and boil half a kettle

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

Add half of the chopped ginger (you'll use the rest later!) to a bowl with your miso, 1/3 of your toasted sesame oil and 1 tbsp [1 1/2 tbsp] [2 tbsp] cold water

Mix until smooth – this is your miso marinade

Trim the green stalks off your aubergine[s] and chop into 1.5cm thick rounds

Add the aubergine rounds to the miso marinade and give them a gentle mix up until fully coated

Line a baking tray (or two!) with tin foil and add the coated aubergine rounds

Drizzle the aubergine with a little vegetable oil, then put the tray[s] under the grill and cook for 6-7 min on each side or until tender and starting to char – this is your grilled miso aubergine

Alternatively, cook your aubergine on the BBQ!

Whilst the aubergine is cooking, cut your cucumber in half and scrape out the inner seeds with a teaspoon, throw the seeds away, then dice

Add your blanched edamame beans to a colander and pour boiled water all over them to refresh them, then run them under cold water until cool

Peel and slice your shallot[s] as finely as you can

Combine the remaining chopped ginger with your soy sauce, rice vinegar, remaining sesame oil and 1 tsp [1 1/2 tsp] [2 tsp] sugar in a small bowl – this is your dressing

Add the diced cucumber, cooled edamame beans and sliced shallot to the bowl with the dressing and give it a good mix up – this is your edamame salad