Aubergines with lime yoghurt and tomato, cinnamon and chilli oil

Although the dominant flavours of the chilli oil (habanero and chipotle) take this dish in a Mexican direction, the composition is inspired by the great Yotam Ottolenghi and his unbeatable formula of flavoured yoghurt base + roasted aubergines + vibrant toppings. It’s fitting that this recipe (my last in a series of twelve) follows that formula, because I wouldn’t be writing this were it not for the fact that, by some inexplicable stroke of luck, I landed in the Ottolenghi Test Kitchen 6 years ago and was able to learn from Yotam, who is equal parts creative and kind. He has made a lifelong impression on the way I cook, and this recipe is a case in point.

Ingredients Serves 4

3 aubergines, cut into 2½ cm-thick rounds (800g)

3 tbsp light and mild olive oil (or sunflower oil)

1 tsp fine salt

1 tbsp chives, roughly chopped

1 jalapeno, thinly sliced into rounds (optional)

Lime yoghurt

350g Sheep’s or regular yoghurt (or use coconut yoghurt to make this vegan)

1 garlic clove, finely grated/crushed

1 tsp lime zest (then cut into wedges to serve)

1/3rd tsp fine salt

Chilli oil

1½ tbsp sesame seeds

2 cinnamon sticks, roughy broken

1 dried habanero chilli 

1 whole star anise

½ small onion, very finely chopped (40g)

½ tsp fine salt

6 tbsp light and mild olive oil (or sunflower oil)

2 garlic cloves, very finely chopped

1½ tsp maple syrup

1 tsp sweet paprika (not smoked)

¾ tsp chipotle flakes

¾ tsp pul biber (or Aleppo flakes or Gochugaru flakes)

½ tsp tomato paste/puree

2 very ripe tomatoes (300g)

Method

Preheat the oven to 230C fan. Add the aubergines to a large bowl with the oil and fine salt and mix well. Spread out on a large, flat, parchment-lined baking tray and roast for 20 mins. Turn the tray, flip over each aubergine round and continue to roast for another 10 mins, or until both sides of each round are a deep, golden-brown.

Meanwhile, mix all the ingredients for the yoghurt together in a medium bowl and set aside.

Make the chilli oil. Spread the sesame seeds, cinnamon sticks, habanero and star anise out in a small frying pan and place on a medium heat. Toast for 4 mins, shaking the pan every now and then, until the seeds are golden-brown. Tip the seeds onto a plate and set aside. Leave the cinnamon, habanero and star anise in the pan.

Add the onion, salt and 2 tbsp of the oil to the pan and return to a medium-high heat. Fry, stirring, for 3- 3½ mins mins, or until the onion turns golden-brown (careful you don’t burn it). Remove from the heat and add the remaining 4 tbsp oil, the garlic, maple syrup, paprika, chipotle, pul biber and tomato paste and stir well. 

Grate the tomatoes using the large holes of a box grater. Add the pulp to a sieve and leave to drain for a minute. Add the drained pulp to the pan with the chilli oil, mix, then return the pan to a medium heat for 2 minutes, stirring often, until the oil becomes bright red. Discard the habanero, cinnamon sticks and star anise.

Tip the sesame seeds into a pestle and mortar with a good pinch of flaked salt and roughly crush- just to break the seeds and release the flavour, not so they become powdery. Tip the seeds into the chilli oil and mix.

Spread the yoghurt out on a platter and top with the aubergines, leaving space between and around the rounds so you can see the yoghurt beneath. Spoon over most of the chilli oil and squeeze over some lime juice. Finish with the jalapeno and chives and serve with more lime wedges on the side.