Eggplant and chickpea salad

I’ve been thinking about nourishing meals that make you feel good. The eggplant salad is a good example. It is nice and filling, has good flavour from the herbs and plenty of crunch from the nuts and seeds. It makes a great side dish to fish or haloumi, but is an equally comforting vegetarian dinner on its own.

Ingredients

1 medium	Eggplant, cut into 1.5cm cubes (Main)
2 Tbsp	Olive oil
1 can	Chickpeas, 400g, drained rinsed (Main)
¼ cup	Walnuts, chopped
2 Tbsp	Pumpkin seeds
1 small	Red onion, thinly sliced
1	Lemon, juiced
1 cup	Baby spinach
1	Spring onion, thinly sliced
1 bunch	Fresh coriander, roughly chopped
1 bunch	Fresh basil, roughly chopped
1 bunch	Fresh mint, roughly chopped
1 bunch	Fresh parsley, small, roughly chopped
1 tsp	White sesame seeds
1 tsp	Black sesame seeds

dressing

1 tsp	Miso paste
1 tsp	Red wine vinegar
1 tsp	Sesame oil
1 tsp	Olive oil, chilli infused
1 clove	Garlic, crushed
1	Lime, juiced

Directions

1. Preheat oven to 190C. In a large roasting tray place chopped eggplant, drizzle with olive oil, and season with salt and pepper. Roast for about 20 minutes.
2. Remove tray from oven, stir eggplant and add chickpeas, walnuts, and pumpkin seeds. Toss well and return to oven for another 15 minutes.
3. Soak red onion slices in lemon juice and set aside.
4. Prepare dressing by adding all ingredients to a bowl and whisking together well. Taste and adjust and season as necessary.
5. Remove eggplant from oven. Add baby spinach and stir well. Drain red onion and add, with the spring onion.
6. Drizzle over dressing, then sprinkle over herbs and the sesame seeds. Toss together and serve. Can be served warm or at room temperature or cold. It's even better served with haloumi or feta.

Check out more of Delaney's weeknight meals

• Spaghetti and meatballs
• Fish, tomato and green bean hot pot