Miso aubergine with sticky coconut rice, green beans and pickled cucumber

Comforting, creamy coconut rice makes the perfect base for the sweet, sticky and slightly salty miso-roasted aubergine. Together with crunchy green beans, quick pickled cucumber and all the fresh aromatic toppings, it makes a light yet flavour-packed dinner.

Ingredients (serves 2):

• 2 medium aubergines
• 1 tsp white miso paste
• 1 tbsp maple syrup
• 1 tbsp mirin
• 1 tbsp sriracha
• 1 tbsp toasted sesame oil
• 200g NICE RICE Pure Basmati dry rice
• 400ml lighter coconut milk
• 200g green beans, trimmed
• A thumb-sized piece of ginger, peeled and chopped into matchsticks
• 2 spring onions, sliced on an angle
• A small handful of coriander, chopped
• A small handful of salted peanuts, roughly chopped
• 4-6 baby cucumbers (or half a small cucumber)
• 4 tbsp rice vinegar
• Pinch of flaky sea salt
• Sprinkle of caster sugar

Instructions:

1. Preheat the oven to 180°C/160°C Fan/Gas Mark 4. Meanwhile, peel the cucumber into ribbons and mix in a bowl with the rice vinegar, half the match-sticked ginger, a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of caster sugar. Set aside.
2. Wash the rice well in a sieve under cold running water (or in a large bowl) until the water runs clear. Drain, then add to a pan with the coconut milk and 100ml water. Season with a pinch of salt and a sprinkle of caster sugar. Stir to combine, then simmer, uncovered, until the liquid is absorbed (5-8 mins). Turn off the heat and pop a lid on the rice for 10-20 minutes, until everything else is ready.
3. Stir together the miso paste, maple syrup, mirin, sriracha and sesame oil in a small bowl. Preheat a large griddle or frying pan.
4. Slice the aubergines in half and score the flesh with a cross-hatch pattern. Add the oil to the pan and place the aubergines, skin side down, for 10 mins until well browned. Flip and cook on the other side for 5 mins until lightly browned and starting to soften.
5. Add the aubergines to a large baking tray, skin side down, and then spread the dressing generously over the flesh. Bake for 15 minutes, until the aubergines are sticky and soft.
6. Heat the sesame oil in a frying pan over a medium heat. Add the green beans and stir-fry for 3 minutes, until tender but still retaining some bite. Season to taste with flaky sea salt.
7. Spoon the coconut rice into bowls and top with the green beans, aubergines, remaining ginger, coriander, peanuts, sliced spring onion and pickled cucumber.

Now it's time to tuck in to some changemaking grains - enjoy!