Syrian Aubergine & Chickpea Ragout

Cut the aubergines into 2cm cubes, and toss in half of the olive oil, then spread out on a baking sheet and roast in the oven for about 20 minutes, turning the pieces over once halfway through cooking, until fairly soft. Set aside.

Meanwhile, in a saucepan over a gentle heat, soften the sliced onion and garlic in the remaining olive oil, adding a couple of tablespoons of water if necessary to prevent browning. This should take about 20 minutes, until the onion is golden and melting.

Add the spices and stir around for 1-2 minutes to blend the flavours, then tip in the parsley, chopped tomatoes and aubergine, followed by the drained chickpeas. Add about 200ml water, bring to the boil and then simmer, covered, for 20-30 minutes.

Take off the heat, stir in the fresh mint, adjust the seasoning and set aside for 1-2 hours before serving. In fact, the dish keeps perfectly well for a good 24 hours, and may even improve, and can be easily reheated.

Season with salt and pepper, sprinkle with the chopped coriander and serve warm with plain yogurt on the side.