Middle Eastern food inspires many recipes in The Detox Kitchen Bible

This is a beautiful dish of contrasts, with the creamy, earthy, slightly bitter aubergine flesh perfectly complemented by the light yogurt, fresh mint and sweet pomegranate seeds.  Fresh herbs and spices reduce the need for salt when you’re flavouring food, whilst adding an extra nutritional boost to your dishes.

Serves 4 – 145 calories per serving

Ingredients:
4 aubergines
1 tsp smoked paprika
1 tsp olive oil
1 pomegranate
A pinch of ground sumac, to garnish

For the tomato sauce
8 ripe vine tomatoes, roughly chopped
4 shallots, roughly chopped
1 fresh red chilli, seeded and roughly chopped
1 celery stick, roughly chopped
5 garlic cloves, roughly chopped
A handful of fresh flat leaf parsley, roughly chopped
2 sprigs of fresh thyme, leaves picked

For the yogurt dressing
1 tbsp plain soya yogurt
Grated zest and juice of one lemon
A handful of fresh coriander, finely chopped
A handful of fresh mint, finely chopped, plus extra leaves to garnish
Salt and pepper

Method

1. Preheat your oven to 200°C/fan 180°C/gas 6
2. Cut the aubergines lengthways in half.  Score the flesh in a diamond pattern, cutting about 1cm deep.  Sprinkle with the paprika and some salt and pepper, and drizzle the olive oil over the flesh.  Place the aubergine halves, cut side up, on a baking tray and bake in the heated oven for 25 minutes until completely soft.
3. Meanwhile, make the tomato sauce.  Combine all the ingredients in a blender and blitz for 30 seconds to create a chunky mixture.  Transfer to a medium saucepan.  Bring to the boil, then simmer on a medium heat/low heat for 20 minutes stirring occasionally.
4. Mix the yogurt with the lemon zest and juice, coriander and mint.  Season with salt and pepper to taste.
5. Next remove the seeds from the pomegranate.  Cut it in half and place the halves cut side down on some kitchen paper.  Gently tap them with a wooden spoon until all the seeds have fallen out.  You will have to remove some of the skin that has fallen out too.
6. To serve, place two aubergine halves on each plate.  Top with tomato sauce, then yogurt dressing and finally, pomegranate seeds.  Garnish with mint leaves and sumac.

This recipe is high in Vitamins B6 and C, folate, potassium, lycopene and fibre and is useful for heart, digestion, immunity and mind and it’s great for both men and women’s general health.

Recipe taken from The Detox Kitchen Bible by Lily Simpson and Rob Hobson available from Amazon £12.48