Whether you need a starter for your Mediterranean feast, or you just need a healthy, energy-boosting snack to get you through that mid-afternoon slump, these brinjal roll-ups will become your go-to.
MAKES 10 // COOKING TIME 40 min
INGREDIENTS
For the tahini dressing
2 tbsp tahini
2 tbsp olive oil
2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tbsp white balsamic vinegar
½ tsp maple syrup
Sea salt and black pepper
For the brinjal roll-ups
¾ cup white quinoa
Juice of 1 lemon
1 avocado, peeled and sliced
3 big brinjals
Olive oil, to shallow-fry
8 cherry tomatoes
½ tsp ground cumin
2 spring onions, thinly sliced
1 big celery stalk, thinly sliced
5 radishes, thinly sliced
20g coriander, roughly chopped
10g mint, roughly chopped
2 beetroots, sliced very thinly lengthways
2 carrots, peeled and sliced thinly lengthways
50 g blanched hazelnuts, toasted and roughly chopped
METHOD
For the tahini dressing
1. Whisk all the ingredients together. Season with sea salt and black pepper.
2. If necessary, add 2 tbsp water until you have the consistency of a dressing (fairly runny).
For the brinjal roll-ups
1. Bring 2 cups water and 1 tbsp salt to the boil, lower to medium heat and add the quinoa. Let it simmer for about 15 minutes or until cooked and fluffy.
2. While the quinoa is cooking, squeeze the lemon juice over the avocado to stop it from going brown.
3. Cut the tops of the three brinjals off and slice lengthways into thin slices, about 3–5 mm thick.
4. Heat a drizzle of olive oil in a pan over medium heat and fry the brinjal slices in batches, until golden on both sides. Drain on paper towel. If necessary, add a bit of olive oil to the pan before each batch.
5. Finish by sautéing the cherry tomatoes with a generous pinch of sea salt and black pepper. Add the ground cumin.
6. Place the remaining ingredients (leave out the brinjal) in a bowl. Add the cooked quinoa and mix.
7. To assemble, add a spoonful of quinoa mix on to each brinjal slice and roll it up tightly. Place all of the brinjal rolls on a plate, putting them seam-side down so that they stay together.
8. Pour a bit of tahini dressing on top and serve with more quinoa salad on the side.
