Steamed aubergine and courgette with chilli dressing
This recipe is a masterclass in adding flavour to veggie dishes and a really quick and healthy way to cook aubergines which are typically cooked in lots of oil. Jeremy gently steams aubergine and courgette with a chilli oil dressing and then serves them with a soy and vinegar sauce. Wonderful with rice or as a side dish.
Ingredients
- 1 aubergine, peeled and cut into 2–3cm/¾–1¼in thick rounds
- 1 courgette, peeled and cut into 2–3cm/¾–1¼in thick rounds
- 1 tsp salt
- 7 baby plum tomatoes
For the fresh chilli dressing
- 2 large red chillies, finely chopped
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- 15g/½oz fresh coriander stalks, finely chopped
- 2 spring onions, finely sliced
- ¼ tsp salt
- 1½ tbsp vegetable oil
For the sauce
- 1 tbsp light soy sauce
- 1 tbsp rice vinegar
- ½ tbsp sugar
- 1 tbsp finely chopped spring onion
Method
Place the aubergine and courgette in a bowl, cover with cold water and the salt. Set aside until ready to use.
To make the dressing, place the chillies, garlic, coriander and spring onions in a heatproof bowl. Mix in the salt. Heat the oil in a small frying pan over a high heat until smoking hot and carefully pour the oil over the ingredients in the bowl.
To make the sauce, mix all of the ingredients together with 1 tablespoon of boiling water in a bowl or ramekin and stir until the sugar is fully dissolved.
Drain the aubergine and courgette slices and place them in a heatproof shallow bowl with the aubergine on the bottom and the courgette pieces stacked on top. Top with the tomatoes. Pour the fresh chilli oil over the vegetables in the bowl.
Place a steam rack in a wok and fill with boiling water a third of the way up the sides. Place the bowl of vegetables on the rack in the wok, cover with a lid and steam for 15 minutes, or until the aubergine is tender. Carefully remove the bowl from the steamer, pour the sauce over the vegetables and serve.
Recipe Tips
To test whether the aubergine is well cooked through, use a fork and poke into a piece of aubergine. If the fork goes straight through without any trouble, it is ready to serve.
Summer
Recipes
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