Buckwheat
1 cup buckwheat
1 ½ cups water
2 tsp Ras El Hanout
(North African spice mix)
1 tbsp olive oil
Pinch salt
Juice of ½ lemon

Eggplant
2 eggplants
Olive Oil
Salt

Tahini Dressing
3 tbsp tahini
4 tbsp lemon juice
3 tbsp orange juice
1 garlic clove, crushed
Pinch of salt

Garnish
1 pomegranate
½ cup picked
coriander
1 tbsp sumac

Buckwheat

  1. Soak the buckwheat for 1 hour before cooking, rinse and drain the tap.
  2. Preheat the Electrolux Steam oven to 180°C using the Electrolux Steam function.
  3. Place the buckwheat, Ras el Hanout, olive oil and salt into a tray and cook for 25 mins.
  4. Check to see if the liquid has been absorbed. Leave at room temperature for a further 15 mins.
  5. ‘Fluff’ the buckwheat with a fork to separate the grains. Pour over the lemon juice, taste and check the seasoning.

Eggplant

  1. Heat a griddle pan or barbecue until hot.
  2. Cut the eggplant into 8 wedges each (lengthways), brush with olive oil and season with salt, grill on each side until lightly charred all over and soft to touch.

Tahini

  1. Mix together the lemon juice, orange juice and crushed garlic in a bowl.
  2. Add the tahini and whisk to combine. Thin with a little water if necessary - it should be the consistency of thick mayonnaise.

To Finish

  1. Scatter the buckwheat leaving spaces for the eggplant.
  2. Fill in the voids with the eggplant.
  3. Spoon over the tahini dressing.
  4. Garnish the dish with pomegranate seeds, picked coriander and sumac.