Chinese spiced eggplant

Step 1

Grill eggplant on a wire rack over a gas flame or on the barbecue over high heat, turning often, until skin is charred and flesh is soft (15-20 minutes). Transfer to a bowl and leave to cool briefly (5 minutes). Cut eggplant in half, then scoop out flesh, discarding burnt skin. Coarsely chop flesh and arrange on a flat plate.

Step 2

For sesame-miso sauce, blend ingredients in a blender until smooth.

Step 3

For chilli oil, grind spices and 1½ tsp salt flakes to a fine powder in a spice grinder or with a mortar and pestle. Heat oil in a small saucepan over medium heat, add garlic and ginger, reduce heat to low and stir until fragrant and garlic just begins to colour (2-3 minutes). Remove from heat, add ground spices and stir to warm spices through and cool the oil.

Step 4

Spread sesame-miso sauce over eggplant and drizzle warm spiced chilli oil all over to taste (you may only need half). Top with spring onion, sesame seeds, chilli flakes and coriander, and serve with Lao Gan Ma chilli sauce.