Aubergine and green lentil koftas

These lentil koftas are a fantastic way to enjoy the flavours of the middle east from your own home.

The Moroccan inspired spices complement the delicate flavour of the aubergine and are great to serve with a dip as a sharing plate or in a pita. You can shape the koftas in any way that suits - some go for regular patty shape, others for a kebab style.

This dish is ready in 40 minutes and feeds four. It uses 1 protein serving, ½ carbohydrate and 1 fat serving from your daily allowances.

Ingredients:

• 280g green lentils

• 2 aubergine (approx 250g), sliced in half length-ways

• 1 vegetable stock cube

• 1 tbsp ground cinnamon

• 1 tbsp ground cumin

• 1 tbsp mild chilli powder

• 100g breadcrumbs

• 2 tablespoon of olive oil

Method:

1. Preheat the oven to 180ºC (fan)/350˚F/Gas Mark 4.

2. Lay the aubergines skin down on a baking tray and drizzle with olive oil.

3. Bake for 10-20 minutes or until they are soft in the middle. Set aside and leave to cool.

4. In the meantime, rinse the green lentils thoroughly before placing into a pan and covering with 500ml of water.

5. Bring the pan to the boil and reduce to simmer until the lentils become soft. Then remove from the heat, drain and allow to cool.

6. Take the green lentils and place them into a bowl with the cinnamon, cumin, chilli powder and crumble in the stock cube.

7. If the aubergines are cool enough, grab a dessert spoon and start scooping the cooked aubergine out of its skin and into the bowl.

8. Now get your hands in and mix together ensuring you squish as many lentils together in the mix as you can (don’t worry too much on this as the whole lentils will give the koftas a nice texture at the end).

9. Add your bread crumbs to the mix and stir them in, leaving it for a few minutes to let the mixture thicken. If the mix is to wet to mould into balls then add some more breadcrumbs 20g a time.

10. Mould the mixture into balls then press each ball down to form flat circles or shape as you prefer.

11. Heat the last tablespoon of oil in a pan and shallow fry each side until they are just over golden then place in your oven for 5 minutes to heat through.

Call 1850-306000 or see www.motivation.ie.