Ingredients

• 1 large aubergine
• cut into small chunks
• 5 garlic cloves
• unpeeled
• 3 fresh thyme sprigs
• 3 tbsp olive oil
• plus extra for frying
• 1 large onion
• thinly sliced
• 400g tin chopped tomatoes
• ½ red pepper
• seeds removed and thinly sliced
• 30g/1oz demerara sugar
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• ½ lime
• juice only
• ½ bunch fresh coriander
• leaves picked
• stalks finely chopped
• salt and freshly ground black pepper
• 50g/1¾oz dried chipotle chillies
• halved
• 1 large onion
• quartered
• 4 garlic cloves
• 2 tbsp fresh oregano leaves
• 2 tbsp fresh thyme leaves
• ½ tsp cumin seeds
• dash Tabasco sauce
• 2 green chillies
• stems removed
• 200ml/7fl oz boiling water
• 2 tbsp olive oil
• 25ml/1fl oz white wine vinegar
• 25ml/1fl oz balsamic vinegar
• 2 tbsp tomato purée
• ½ tbsp soy sauce
• 90g/3oz demerara sugar
• ½ lime
• juice only
• 1 tbsp olive oil
• 1 onion
• finely chopped
• 2 large garlic cloves
• crushed
• 1 red chilli
• finely chopped
• 400g tin mixed beans
• drained and rinsed
• ½ small bunch fresh coriander
• leaves picked
• stalks finely chopped
• ½ small bunch fresh flatleaf parsley
• finely chopped
• ½ small bunch fresh coriander
• finely chopped
• 1 large red onion
• finely chopped
• ½ red chilli
• seeds removed
• finely chopped
• ½ lime
• juice only
• 1 tomato
• finely chopped
• 250g/9oz masa harina cornflour
• 1 tsp baking powder
• 200–250ml/7–9fl oz hot water
• 250ml/9fl oz olive oil
• salt

Directions

• Preheat the oven to 200C/180C Fan/Gas 6.
• To make the roast aubergine
• put the aubergine in a roasting tin with two garlic cloves and the thyme. Season with salt and pepper and coat in the oil. Roast for 30–40 minutes
• turning every so often
• until soft and golden.
• Meanwhile
• to make the chipotle sauce
• bring a small saucepan of water to the boil. Reduce the heat
• add the chipotle chillies and simmer for 15 minutes.
• While the chillies cook
• put the onion
• garlic
• oregano
• thyme
• cumin seeds
• Tabasco
• green chillies
• boiling water
• 1 tablespoon oil and a pinch of salt and pepper in a food processor. Blend for about 5 minutes
• or until you have a paste.
• Drain the chipotle chillies
• add them to the food processor
• then blend again.
• Spoon the chilli paste back into the saucepan with the remaining 1 tablespoon oil. Cook for 2 minutes over a medium heat. Stir in the vinegars
• tomato purée
• soy sauce
• sugar and lime juice. Bring to the boil
• reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes
• or until a paste-like consistency is reached. Taste to see if more salt or sugar is needed and remove from the heat.
• To make the refried beans
• heat the oil in a heavy-bottomed saucepan over a medium heat. Fry the onion for 5–10 minutes
• or until starting to turn golden. Add the garlic and chilli and cook for 1 minute. Add the drained pulses
• coriander stalks and a tablespoon of the chipotle sauce. Cook for 10–12 minutes. Season with salt and pepper and stir in the coriander leaves and parsley.
• To finish the roast aubergine
• heat a splash of oil in a pan over a medium heat and fry the onion for 5 minutes
• or until translucent. Peel and crush the remaining garlic and add to the pan. Fry for 2 minutes before adding the tomatoes
• red pepper
• sugar and tomato purée. Bring to the boil
• season and simmer until reduced by a third. Add 5 tablespoons of the chipotle sauce
• the lime juice and coriander stalks and bring back to the boil. Finally
• add the roast aubergine and coriander leaves and check the seasoning.
• Mix all the salsa ingredients together and set aside.
• To make the gorditas
• combine the masa harina cornflour
• baking powder and a good pinch of salt in a large bowl. Make a well in the centre and slowly add the hot water until you have a workable dough. Shape into eight pieces and roll each one into a 10cm/4in circle.
• Heat the oil in a non-stick frying pan and fry the gorditas in batches for 2–3 minutes
• turning
• until golden brown. Drain on kitchen paper.
• Serve the gorditas with the warm aubergine sauce
• refried beans
• salsa and extra chipotle sauce
• if you wish.