Charred Aubergine, Tomato and Mint Salad

Another salad. It's so hot here (in the Languedoc) I can't get my head round making anything else. Hot too in London, I gather, so maybe you'll enjoy this recipe which comes from my veggie student cookbook Beyond Baked Beans Green.

It's a spin on the Middle Eastern spread Baba Ganoush which I love but which I never think looks too great - a sort of khaki-coloured splodge. This basically uses the same ingredients but turns them into a salad that can be served with grilled or leftover lamb or, more frugally, with feta or with other mezze which is how we've having it tonight.

Serves 4
2 medium or 1 large aubergine (about 500g)
4 tbsp olive oil
1 medium onion (about 100g), peeled and roughly chopped
1 clove of garlic, peeled and crushed
2 medium tomatoes, skinned, de-seeded and diced
2 tbsp roughly chopped parsley and 1 tbsp chopped mint leaves
1 - 1 1/2 tbsp lemon juice
1 tsp ground cumin
Salt and pepper

Cut the stalks off each aubergine, cut in half lengthways then cut into cubes. Heat a wok for about 2 minutes over a high heat, add the oil, heat for a few seconds then tip in the aubergine cubes. Stir fry over a moderate heat for about 5 minutes until lightly browned then turn the heat down low, add the onion and garlic, stir, cover the pan and cook gently for a further 15 minutes, stirring from time to time to stop it catching.

Tip the cooked aubergine into a shallow dish while you prepare the other ingredients. When the aubergine is cool (about 20 minutes), cut it up roughly with a knife and fork then mix in the chopped tomato, parsley and mint. Season with the lemon juice, cumin and salt and pepper and serve in any of the ways suggested above or simply with warm pitta bread.