Charred aubergine salad with sugar-spice onions

• large aubergine↗1

  thinly sliced into rounds

• sunflower oil↗1-2 tbsp tbsp
• desiccated coconut↗50g g
• turmeric↗½ tsp tsp
• brown lentils↗2 x 400g cans

  rinsed and drained

• spring onions↗bunch

  sliced

• coriandersmall pack

  stalks finely chopped, leaves roughly chopped

• pack pomegranate seeds↗150g g
• cashew nuts↗85g g

  bashed a few times

• onions↗3

  roughly sliced

• sunflower oil↗1 tbsp tbsp
• each ground cumin2 tsp tsp
• ground coriander↗2 tsp tsp
• light brown soft sugar↗2 tbsp tbsp
• can coconut cream↗160ml ml
• limes↗juice 3
• turmeric↗½ tsp
• onion seeds or nigella seeds1 tbsp
• mango chutney2 tbsp

Step-by-step instructions

1. 1

   Start with the sugar-spice onions. Put the onions, oil, 1/2 tsp salt and the spices in a frying pan and cook gently for 15 mins until really soft. Stir in the sugar and cook for a futher 2-3 mins until the onions are sticky and dark golden.

2. 2

   Meanwhile, heat a griddle pan over a medium heat and brush the aubergine slices on both sides with the oil. Griddle in batches, turning, until charred and soft.

3. 3

   Once the onions are cooked, tip them onto a plate and leave to cool. Clean the pan, tip in the coconut and turmeric, and toast gently until golden and just browning at the edges. Tip onto a plate and leave to cool. Whisk together all the dressing ingredients with some seasoning.

4. 4

   To serve, tip the lentils, spring onions, coriander, pomegranate seeds and cashew nuts onto a big serving platter or bowl. Add most of the coconut, plus the aubergine slices and sugar-spice onions. Drizzle over most of the dressing and use your hands to toss everything together well. Scatter the remaining coconut over to serve, with the extra dressing on the side for drizzling over.