Baked Korean Style Rice & Aubergine

I bought aubergines to make ratatouille, but then this baked rice dish caught my eye on Instagram.

Serves 4

200g basmati rice
2 cloves of garlic, crushed or finely chopped
2.5cm ginger, grated
2 large carrots, grated
400 ml vegetable stock
1 tbsp sesame oil
2 aubergines, cut into 1 cm slices
1 tsp sea salt
1 bunch spring onions, thinly sliced
1 tbsp sesame seeds

For the dressing:
15g Korean red pepper flakes (gochugaru) or 2tbsp sweet chilli sauce
2 tbsp sesame oil
2 tbsp balsamic vinegar
2 tbsp soy sauce
2.5 cm ginger, grated
1 clove of garlic, finely grated

Preheat the oven to 200°C

Put rice, one grated garlic clove,2.5cm grated ginger, grated carrot, and white part of the spring onions into a wide lidded casserole dish or a medium roasting tin. Pour over the vegetable stock and sesame oil, then lay the aubergines over the top in one layer if possible. Sprinkle salt, one more grated clove of garlic, over cthe aubergine and cover with the lid or very tightly with foil (this is important or the rice won’t cook properly). Bake for 30 minutes.

Mix the dressing ingredients together whilst the rice is cooking. After the rice has cooked for 30minutes take out of the oven, remove the lid or foil and drizzle over the dressing, then the green part of the spring onions and sesame seeds.  Serve hot with a side of kimchi if you want more fire.

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