Persian Aubergine Stew with Black Lime

1. Preheat the oven to 480 °F.

Soak the black limes

1. Add 3 cups of boiling water (or warm vegetable stock) to a heatproof bowl. Add the black limes to soften and soak while you start with the aubergines and sauce.

Roast the aubergine wedges

1. In a large bowl, mix the aubergine wedges with 4 tablespoons of olive oil, 1 teaspoon of salt and a good grind of black pepper.
2. Arrange the wedges on a baking sheet lined with parchment paper, allowing space between the wedges. Use two trays if necessary. Roast for 25 minutes or until the wedges are golden brown and completely soft. Flip the wedges once or twice throughout the cooking process.

Soften the thinly sliced onions

1. While the aubergines roast, place a large high-sided sauté pan or braiser on medium heat. Add 2 tablespoons of olive oil with the onions and gently cook for 15 minutes until they are soft and golden (not dark brown), stirring every few minutes. Turn down the heat if the onions start to brown.

Cook the dried lentils

1. Place the lentils in a small pot with 1 litre of cold water. Bring to a boil over high heat with the lid on. Once boiling, remove the lid and maintain a simmer. Cook for about 10 minutes until the lentils are cooked but still retain a nice bite.

Build the tomato and black lime sauce

1. Once your onions are soft and caramelised, add the minced garlic and cook for a couple of minutes until fragrant (about 3 minutes) – stir frequently.
2. Add the spices and stir continuously for 30 seconds. 
3. Next, add the tomato paste and stir to coat the onions.
4. And finally, add the chopped Roma tomatoes and cook until they start to fall apart and form a thick sauce. It should take about 5 minutes.
5. Remove the softened black limes from the soaking liquid and pierce them a few times with a sharp pairing knife. Add the pierced black limes and the soaking liquid to the tomato sauce. The limes should be mostly covered, depending on the size of your pan. (If you substitute lime juice for the black limes, only add it at the end of cooking.)
6. Bring the sauce to a simmer. Gently push down on the dried limes from time to time. If you have the time, allow the sauce to simmer gently for 20 minutes before adding the roasted aubergines, but you can skip this simmer if you don't. Stir in a teaspoon of sea salt.

Add the aubergine and lentils to the sauce

1. Nestle the cooked eggplant wedges in the sauce and season lightly with ground sea salt. Simmer without a lid – gently stirring now and then – until the sauce is thick and the stew creamy in texture, about 40 to 50 minutes. Add a splash of water if the stew looks dry.
2. Gently stir in the cooked lentils and heat through. If you did not add black limes, add your fresh lime juice now. Add plenty of pepper. And season with more salt according to taste.

Serve and enjoy

1. Serve the stew on rice or barley and top with dollops of yoghurt, toasted almond slices and pomegranate rubies. Or grab some fluffy flatbreads or toasted pita triangles to scoop up the creamy aubergine stew.