Cooking time: 40 mins
Sticky Korean aubergine with sesame-kale salad and coconut rice
Serves: 2
Ingredients
100g kale leaves
1 cucumber
1 aubergine
2 unwaxed limes
200g jasmine rice
25g desiccated coconut
80ml Korean BBQ sauce
30ml sesame oil
10g toasted sesame seeds
5g gochugaru
20ml honey
salt
black pepper
olive oil
Method
1. Pre-heat grill to medium. Strip the leaves from the tough kale stems, roughly chop the leaves and place into a large bowl. Halve the cucumber lengthwise and scoop the seeds out with a tsp and thinly slice. Quarter the aubergine lengthwise, slice crosswise into half moons, set aside. Squeeze the juice from 1 and 1/2 limes, cut the other half into two wedges.2. Rinse the rice in a sieve until the water runs clear, place in a medium saucepan. Add 450ml of water, half a tsp of salt and the desiccated coconut, bring to a boil. As soon as the water is boiling, cover with a lid, turn the heat down to low and leave to simmer for 10mins. Remove from the heat and set aside to rest with the lid on for 8mins.
3. Meanwhile, place the aubergine in a mixing bowl and add the Korean bbq sauce and honey, mix to combine. Line a baking tray with foil and place the aubergine on the tray. Drizzle 1tbsp of oil over the aubergine and season with salt and pepper. Grill in the oven for 15-20mins, turning from time to time until sticky and golden brown on all sides.
4. Sprinkle some salt and drizzle the lime juice over the kale. Using your hands, massage the leaves so they break down and soften, about 5mins.
5. Add the sliced cucumber, sesame oil, half the toasted sesame seeds and the gochugaru pepper flakes to the kale, mix to combine.
6. Once the rice has rested, use a fork to fluff it up and spoon onto plates. Top with the kale salad and place the sticky aubergine on top of the kale, incuding any of the juices left in the tray. Sprinkle the remaining sesame seeds over the top. The kale and aubergine taste best eaten together as the sweet and sour flavours work well together!
Recipe by Marley Spoon (www.marleyspoon.co.uk)
Photography by Alex Freundorfer (www.alexfreundorfer.com)