Fatteh makdous (lamb-stuffed baby aubergines in tomato & tahini sauce)

Method

• step 1

  First, make the red sauce. Heat a little oil in a pan, then add the cumin seeds and fry until they smell fragrant. Add the rest of the ingredients along with ½ tsp salt and 200ml water, and cook until the sauce thickens a little – it should be the consistency of single cream.

• step 2

  Trim the tops off the baby aubergines, then peel strips of skin off in stripes and hollow out the core out with
  a small sharp knife or the end of a teaspoon. Soak the aubergines in salted cold water so they keep their colour, then drain well, squeeze lightly and pat dry.

• step 3

  Fill a pan one-third full of oil and heat until a cube of bread browns in 30 seconds. Deep-fry the flatbread pieces until they are crisp and browned but not burnt, about 30-40 seconds. Drain well. Deep-fry the aubergine in batches for 4-5 mins until browned and tender, then drain on kitchen paper.

• step 4

  Fry the minced lamb in a pan with a little olive oil until browned and cooked through, then add the pine nuts and season. Stuff the aubergines with the lamb mince mixture – you can either stuff the mince into the hole at either end, or split the aubergines and then add the stuffing (this way allows you to get more lamb in). Put the stuffed aubergines in a pan with 6 tbsp of the red sauce and cook for 5 mins.

• step 5

  Put the Greek yogurt, tahini, lemon juice, garlic and some salt in a bowl, and mix well. If it feels a little thick, add some cold water. You can make this ahead and chill in the fridge until ready to serve.

• step 6

  To serve, spoon the tahini yogurt into a large bowl. Top with a handful of the flatbread chips, the aubergines and all the red sauce. Finish with a sprinkle of cashew nuts, then serve the rest of the chips on the side.