I love Sally Banks and her cookbook, Veggistan – vegetarian recipes from the Middle East. This dish is one of our family’s favourites but one that I haven’t been able to enjoy since my SIBO diagnosis. It originates from Afghanistan and is a warm eggplant dish layered with a yogurt sauce. I love to find a way to recreate recipes that are SIBO friendly. In place of yogurt, I’ve made a sunflower seed cream sauce and swapped out the onions and garlic with green onions and garlic infused olive oil. Enjoy!

For the Aubergine/Eggplant:

3 large aubergines, washed and sliced

1 bunch of green onions, chopped and whites removed

2 chilis, chopped

1 tsp ground turmeric

1 can diced tomatoes

1 bunch of coriander

Salt and Pepper to taste

Yogurt sauce:

1/4 cup sunflower seeds

3/4 cup boiling water

Juice of 1/2 lemon

1 tsp garlic infused olive oil

Handful of fresh mint leaves

Salt and pepper to taste

1. In a pan, add the sliced aubergine and enough water to just cover the bottom of the pan. This prevents the aubergine from sticking – you could also instead use oil to fry it.
2. In another pan, fry up the chilis and onions in garlic infused olive oil until softened and browned.
3. When the aubergine is looking cooked and soft to fork, add the onions and chili, tomatoes, coriander and spice. Cover with a lid and simmer for 20 minutes.
4. Make the sunflower seed “yogurt sauce”. In a blender add all ingredients and blend until smooth and creamy.
5. Serve over rice or alone with yogurt sauce over the top.