Ingredients

• 3 aubergines
• halved lengthways
• 4 tbsp vegetable oil
• 600g/1lb 5oz butternut squash
• peeled and cut into 2cm/¾in cubes
• 4 spring onions
• green parts only
• thinly sliced
• sea salt and freshly ground black pepper
• lime wedges
• to serve
• 250g/9oz jasmine rice
• 1 tsp salt
• ½ cinnamon stick
• 1 whole dried Persian lime (optional)
• 1 tbsp vegetable oil
• 100g/3½oz dried cranberries
• 1 pomegranate
• seeds only
• 1 small bunch fresh chives
• finely snipped
• ½ lime
• very finely chopped (including skin)
• ½ lime
• juice only
• 1 garlic clove
• chopped
• 4 spring onions
• white parts only
• chopped
• ½ green chilli
• deseeded and chopped
• 250g/9oz tahini
• 2 tbsp soy sauce
• 1 tbsp red wine vinegar or sherry vinegar
• 4½ tbsp date molasses

Directions

• For the roast vegetables
• preheat the oven to 240C/220C Fan/Gas 9. Use a small knife to score the flesh of the aubergines in a crisscross pattern
• taking care not to cut through the skin. Cut each aubergine in half across the middle widthways and place in a roasting tin. Drizzle with 2 tablespoons of the oil and season with plenty of salt and pepper. Roast for 20–25 minutes
• or until golden. Place the butternut squash in a separate roasting tin and drizzle with the remaining oil. Season with salt and pepper and roast for 15–20 minutes
• or until golden. Leave the oven on.
• Meanwhile
• to make the rice
• bring 500ml/18fl oz of water to the boil in a saucepan. Add the rice
• salt
• cinnamon
• lime (if using) and oil and bring back to the boil. Stir
• reduce the heat to the lowest setting and cover with a lid. Cook for 10 minutes
• then turn off the heat. Leave covered for another 15 minutes before tipping the rice onto a large tray to cool slightly.
• To make the tahini sauce
• place the garlic
• white spring onions and chilli in a food processor. Blitz until puréed. Add the remaining sauce ingredients and 50ml/2fl oz of water and pulse until a thick paste has formed.
• Carefully spread a spoonful of the tahini sauce over the top of each piece of aubergine. Return to the oven for 6 minutes
• or until the tahini topping is just golden and crispy.
• Stir the roasted butternut cubes
• green spring onions
• dried cranberries
• most of the pomegranate seeds and chives and the finely chopped lime into the rice. Squeeze the lime juice over the rice and stir to combine.
• Spoon the rice onto a serving platter and top with the aubergines. Garnish with the remaining chives and pomegranates and serve immediately with the lime wedges.