Creamed Aubergine Wheat With Fried Sugar Snap Peas
Grains, grains, grains, they’re so hot right now. And for good reason. Grains are cheap, grains are sustainable and most importantly grains are delicious. In this recipe I’ve used one of the most overlooked grains of the grainaissance (see what I did there) – plain old wheat.
That’s right wheat doesn’t have to just be used to make flour you can just use it whole, and let me tell you wheat is so great. It’s nutty with a wonderful bite, I love it. I think it might be one of my favourite carbs to eat at the moment.
What better way to enjoy wheat then with a wonderfully rich and creamy aubergine sauce. This sauce is so easy to make and is packed full of smoky flavour.
But the secret to what makes this dish is the sugar snap peas. They tie everything together. The crunchy heat of the chillied peas works so well with the smooth wheat sauce. Delightful.
When to eat
This is a summer dish – I recommend eating from late June until September. This way you’ll enjoy the best Aubergine and peas around. If you’re thinking about eating this out of the summer months. Try switching out the peas for cavolo nero and pumpkin or squash for the aubergine.
Creamed Aubergine Wheat With Fried Sugar Snap Peas
This meal is around 85% less polluting than the average UK meal.
Eating this recipe will save around 2.49 KG CO2e per person.
That’s equivalent to the emissions produced driving 20.58 KM in a modern car.
How do I calculate this?Ingredients
- 300 g Peeled Wheat
- 1 Large Aubergine
- 1 Large Onion
- 2 Cloves Garlic
- 1 Tablespoon Smoked Paprika
- 2 Tablespoons Tomato Paste
- 1 Tablespoon Soy Sauce
- 400 ml Vegetable Stock
- 200 ml Coconut Milk
- 4 Tablespoons Olive Oil
- 200 g Sugar Snap Peas
- 1 Small Red Chilli (Finely Sliced)
- 1 Teaspoon Cumin Seeds
- 25 g Fresh Coriander (Roughly Chopped)
Instructions
- Place your wheat in a medium saucepan and cover with about a litre of water. Bring to the boil and simmer for about 30 – 35 minutes. At this point the wheat should have swelled and softened, but still have a little bite. Drain and reserve.
- Peel and finely dice the onion and garlic. Then chop your aubergine into rough 1 inch cubes. Heat 2 tablespoons of olive oil in a large and deep pan over a medium heat and toss in the onion and garlic. Fry for 3 – 4 minutes until the onion is soft.
- Tip in the aubergine and fry for a few minutes before adding the smoked paprika, tomato paste, soy sauce and vegetable stock. Cook vigorously for around 10 minutes until the sauce is very thick and the aubergine soft.
- Pour in the coconut milk and season to taste. Then tip in the cooked wheat and mix well. Turn the pan heat to very low to keep the contents warm whilst you prepare the sugar snap peas.
- Heat the remainder of the olive oil in a large pan over a medium to high heat. Toss in the cumin seeds and toast for a minute or so, then tip in the chopped chilli and fry until the chilli begins to soften. Pour in your sugar snap peas and increase pan heat. Fry on high for 1 – 2 minutes, moving often so the peas don’t catch, then add in the fresh coriander. Cook the pan contents until the coriander has wilted, then spoon out the mixture onto a plate and salt generously with kosher salt. Toss over the aubergine wheat and garnish with the chopped spring onion.