ROASTED BROCCOLI, CAULIFLOWER AND AUBERGINE SALAD BOWL

 
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This Pakti salad bowl is from my book East by West. A delicately smokey veg-packed salad, it’s is one of my favourites. The astringent brassicas, cauliflower and broccoli, are lightly roasted to add a little sweetness, along with the juicy aubergine and peas.

The dressing is sweet and pungent with plenty of fresh thyme, bitter parsley and a chilli kick if required. If you’re feeling off balance, load it up with some leafy greens for extra bitter flavour. This is my partner Nick’s favourite — he’s definitely got Kapha tendencies and likes his meat and dairy. In his words: “It’s unusual for me to want to eat a plate of veg like that with nothing else!” For a more filling meal, toss with cooked barley and/or serve with scrambled egg.

 

INGREDIENTS

Serves 2

35g (¼ cup) pumpkin seeds
¼ head of cauliflower, cut into 2.5cm (1in) florets (about 150g)
¼ head of broccoli, cut into 2.5cm (1in) florets (about 150g)
1 aubergine, cut into 5mm (¼ in) thick half-moons
2 cloves garlic, left whole
2 tbsp ghee
Sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
115g (¾ cup) peas, fresh or frozen
1 sprig of thyme
Handful of parsley leaves
½ fresh red chilli, deseeded and chopped (optional)

For the honey mustard dressing:

Juice and finely grated zest of 1 lemon
2 tsp wholegrain mustard
2 tsp raw honey
2 tbsp sunflower oil
Fresh thyme, to taste
Pinch sea salt and freshly ground black pepper

METHOD

  1. Preheat the oven to 220°C (fan 200°C/gas mark 7). In a large frying pan, gently dry-toast the pumpkin seeds until golden, then set them aside.

  2. On a large baking tray, toss the cauliflower, broccoli, aubergine and garlic cloves with the ghee and season with salt and pepper. Spread the vegetables out in an even layer and roast for about 20—25 minutes, stirring occasionally, until golden and tender. Remove the garlic cloves after 5—10 minutes and set aside.

  3. For the last 3 minutes of cooking, add the peas and thyme to the baking tray, toss with the vegetables and return to the oven.

  4. Meanwhile, make the dressing by putting all the ingredients into a jar or bottle. Shake until emulsified. Pop the roasted garlic cloves out of their jackets and mash into a paste, then stir into the dressing.

  5. Toss the vegetables and parsley leaves in the dressing, then plate up and sprinkle with the toasted pumpkin seeds and chopped chilli, if using.

 
LUNCH, SUMMER, VEGETARIANJasmine Hemsley