Bulgur & aubergine pilaf

Swap rice for quick-cooking bulgur wheat and chickpeas in this gently spiced pilaf, peppered with fried aubergine, sticky onions and crumbled feta

  • Prep:10 mins
    Cook:35 mins
    plus resting
  • Serves 2
  • Easy

Nutrition per serving

  • kcal 512
  • fat 17g
  • saturates 3g
  • carbs 62g
  • sugars 0g
  • fibre 17g
  • protein 20g
  • salt 1.4g

Ingredients

  • 4 tsp rapeseed oil
  • 2 onions, halved and thinly sliced (about 280g), scrunched to separate the pieces
  • 1 tbsp finely chopped ginger
  • 75g bulgur wheat
  • 1 tsp vegetable bouillon powder
  • ½ tsp cumin seeds
  • 400g can chickpeas, drained
  • 1 aubergine (about 260g), thinly sliced, or halved and sliced if it’s a thicker one
  • 20g coriander, chopped
  • 30g feta, crumbled (vegetarian, if necessary)
  • 10g toasted flaked almonds

Method

  1. Heat 2 tsp of the the oil in a large non-stick frying pan over a medium heat and fry the onions and ginger for 10 mins, stirring frequently until softened and golden. Set aside on a plate.

  2. Meanwhile, tip the bulgur, bouillon and cumin into a pan and cover with 400ml water. Stir well, then bring to the boil, cover and cook over a low heat for 10-15 mins, or until the liquid has completely absorbed. Tip the chickpeas into the pan, then cover and set aside.

  3. Meanwhile, heat the remaining oil in the pan you used to fry the onion over a medium-high heat, and fry the aubergine slices for 8-10 mins, keeping them in a single layer as much as possible. Flip them over halfway through the cooking time. After this time, cover and cook for a few minutes more until soft.

  4. Toss the cooked aubergine into the bulgur mixture along with the onions and coriander, then pile onto a platter and scatter over the feta and almonds before serving.

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