Sticky Aubergine Rice Bowl

Preheat the oven to 170°C.

Slice the aubergines into batons and whack them in a colander. Salt and leave for 5 mins to extract the water. After 5 mins, pat dry and get them onto a baking tray. Drizzle with 1 tablespoon of the vegetable oil and place in the oven for 30 mins.

While your aubergine is roasting, prep your veg. Thinly slice the spring onions, red cabbage, garlic, ginger and red chillies.

Grab two bowls. Add the spring onions to one and the red cabbage to the other. Cover the spring onions with the juice of the lime, 1 tbsp of the rice vinegar and a sprinkling of salt. Over the red cabbage pour another tablespoon of rice vinegar, 1⁄2 tbsp of the sesame oil and a sprinkle of salt and mix it through. Cover and place both in the fridge.

Rinse the sushi rice, then add to a saucepan with just enough water to cover. Leave for 30 mins to soak.

Heat the remaining 1⁄2 tbsp of oil in a wok or large frying pan and add the garlic, ginger and red chillies and fry over a low heat. Once softened, add the hoisin sauce, soy sauce, the remaining 1⁄2 tbsp of sesame oil and 1 tbsp of rice vinegar, the chilli oil, sesame seeds, agave and veggie stock cube. Give everything a good mix together, then add the aubergine straight from the oven.

Add enough water to just cover the aubergine and leave to simmer until it has reduced into a lovely thick sauce. Stir often.

Drain the rice and add it to a saucepan with 480ml water and the shichimi. Bring to the boil, then turn to a simmer, cover with the lid and simmer until cooked, about 15 mins.

Time to plate up. First, make a bed of your sushi rice. Add a generous dollop of aubergine sauce, a helping of marinated red cabbage and some sliced avocado. Garnish with the spring onions, the crispy chilli bits from the chilli oil and some more sesame seeds and tuck in.