Ingredients
- 2/3 cup uncooked red quinoa or wild rice (2 cup cooked)
- ½ cup fresh parsley or mint leaves, roughly chopped
- 2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
- 2 large eggplants, sliced
- ¼ cup fresh marjoram or oregano leaves
- ½ tsp iodised table salt
- 2 cloves garlic, peeled
- 2 tablespoons olive oil
- Cucumber and yoghurt tzatziki:
- 300ml or 1 ¼ cup Greek yoghurt
- ½ large telegraph cucumber, grated
- 1 clove garlic, crushed
- 2 teaspoons white wine vinegar
- 2 teaspoons chopped fresh mint
- 2 teaspoons snipped fresh dill, optional
- freshly ground black pepper (to taste)
Method
Step 1
Cook quinoa or wild rice in boiling water until tender (approximately 10 minutes for quinoa and 25-30 minutes for wild rice). Drain and allow to cool slightly. Mix in the parsley or mint, extra virgin olive oil and season to taste.Step 2
Preheat oven grill to 220°C. Slice the eggplants into 2cm slices. Lay flat on a tray lined with baking paper. Grind together the fresh marjoram or oregano leaves with the salt and garlic cloves in a spice blender or by hand in a mortar and pestle.Step 3
Drizzle the eggplant slices with olive oil, and then sprinkle with half of the herb salt. Leave to rest for 5 minutes, before placing in the oven. Grill for 12 minutes. Remove and use tongs to turn each piece over and sprinkle with remaining herb salt. Return to oven and grill for a further 12 minutes. Remove from oven and allow to cool. Alternatively, heat a grill frying pan and fry each of the eggplant pieces for 3-4 minutes on each side.Step 4
Press any excess water out of the cucumber. Combine the yoghurt, cucumber and crushed garlic in a medium bowl along with the vinegar, mint, dill if available. Season with freshly ground black pepper to taste.Step 5
Spread ½ cup per person of quinoa or rice onto a serving platter and then arrange the grilled eggplant slices on top. Drizzle over the tzatziki, and garnish with plenty of fresh herbs.