Here's a bit of meat-free magic to zest up your weeknight. Golden-fried eggplant gets fluffed up with a dill-flecked rice for deep-down flavour. Freshness comes from a good squeeze of lemon and an ever-so-slightly pickled tomato salad, then in comes salty, chewy halloumi to hit a home run outta the park.
Cut eggplant into 1cm pieces. Heat 20ml (1 tablespoon) oil in a frypan over medium-high heat. Add eggplant and cook, stirring occasionally, for 5–6 minutes or until collapsed slightly. While eggplant is cooking, continue with step 2.
Chop tomato into bite-size pieces. Peel and thinly slice eschalot. Combine red wine vinegar, 2 teaspoons oil, tomato, eschalots, salt and pepper in a bowl and mix to combine. Set aside to marinate.
Peel and crush garlic. Zest lemon. Once the eggplant has softened, add garlic, lemon zest and cumin and cook, stirring, for 30 seconds or until fragrant. Add rice, stock cube and 310ml (1¼ cups) water, increase heat to high and bring to the boil. Reduce heat to low, cover with a lid and cook rice for 17–20 minutes or until cooked through. Remove from heat and set aside to rest for 5 minutes. While rice is cooking, continue with step 4.
Heat remaining oil in a frypan over medium heat. Slice halloumi into 2cm-thick pieces and cook for 2–3 minutes each side until golden.
Roughly chop baby spinach leaves and dill and stir through rice. Season with salt and pepper. Cut lemon into wedges.
Divide rice between bowls and top with halloumi, tomato salad and lemon wedges. Serve with yoghurt on the side.