Spiced Crumbed Aubergine with Black Bean & Avocado Salad
Aubergine, known as eggplant in the Caribbean and the US, is great at soaking up flavours and its robust spongy flesh serves well in this recipe. My spicy crumbed aubergine is really flavoursome and, when served with the vibrant black bean salad, makes a fabulous and satisfying vegan main course.
Method
For the spiced crumbed aubergine, combine the breadcrumbs, garlic, chilli powder, allspice, turmeric, mint, parsley and lemon zest in a large bowl and season well with salt and pepper.
Put the almond or soy milk into a separate bowl and place the flour in another bowl nearby.
Dust the aubergine slices first in the flour, then dip into the milk, and finally into the spiced breadcrumbs, ensuring they are well coated.
Heat the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium-high heat. Fry the crumbed aubergine slices for 3–4 minutes, turning halfway, until golden on each side. Remove with a fish slice to drain on kitchen paper.
For the black bean and avocado salad, combine the chopped herbs in a large bowl, along with the black beans, avocado, red onion, tomatoes and chilli.
In a separate bowl, whisk together the garlic, lime juice, allspice and extra-virgin olive oil and use it to dress the salad.
To serve, place the dressed salad on serving plates and top with the aubergine slices.
Ingredients
- For the Spiced Crumbed Aubergine
- 120g panko-style breadcrumbs
- 1 garlic clove, crushed
- 1 tsp chilli powder
- 1 tsp ground allspice
- ½ tsp ground turmeric
- a handful of mint, finely chopped
- a handful of flat-leaf parsley, finely chopped
- zest of 1 lemon
- 50ml almond milk or soy milk
- 75g plain flour
- 1 large aubergine, cut lengthways into 2-cm thick slices
- olive oil, for frying
- sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
- For the Black Bean & Avocado Salad
- a large handful of mint, finely chopped
- a large handful of coriander, finely chopped
- 1 x 400g tin black beans, drained and rinsed
- 1 avocado, diced
- 1 small red onion, finely diced
- 2 plum tomatoes, de-seeded and finely diced
- 1 red chilli, de-seeded and finely diced
- 1 garlic clove, finely chopped
- juice of 1 lime
- ½ tsp ground allspice
- 3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil