Aubergine, Tamarind & Coconut Bake
This is a great dish to help increase your microbiome diversity because it is has eight different plants in it and if you combine it with a salad of cucumber, onion, tomatoes and mint then you have even more!
It is really important for our guts that we eat a wide range of different plants because they contain different prebiotics. Studies show that a more diverse microbiome, rich in beneficial bugs (prebiotics) has links to a better functioning, more resilient gut and all round better health .
Ingredients
4 Aubergines, cut in half lengthways
1 large red onion, diced
3 inch piece of ginger, grated
3 small pieces of turmeric, grated
4 cloves of garlic, grated
2 tins of tomatoes
1 cup of coconut cream
1 pot of tamarind paste
1 chilli, chopped
8 curry leaves
Small bunch of coriander, chopped
METHOD
Heat the oven 180c
Peel the garlic and grate
Grate turmeric and ginger
Chop chilli finely
Chop red onion
Cut the aubergines in half and score each cut side
Place the aubergines in greased baking dish and rub with olive oil
Bake in the oven for 20mins while you make the sauce
Heat olive oil into the heavy based pan and cook the onions
Add the garlic, ginger, turmeric and chilli cook until soft
Add the tinned tomatoes, coconut milk, curry leaves and tamarind paste and cook the sauce for 20mins
Remove the aubergine and spoon the mixture over the top, cover with tin foil and bake for 30 minutes
Then remove the foil and increase the heat to 200 and bake for a further 15mins
