Poke bowl with sticky miso aubergine and kimchi

Poke bowls, with their mix of colourful vegetables, are always a nutritious choice, but this recipe boosts the gut health benefits even more. We’ve replaced half of the sushi rice with mixed colour quinoa to increase the fibre content of the poke base. As well as boosting the variety of fibres, different colours and varieties of the same plant contain different polyphenols which fuel the microbiome. The aubergine is cooked with miso paste and sprinkled with sesame seeds and we’ve also added a generous spoonful of kimchi. Serve with a rainbow of salad vegetables.

Method

1. Preheat the oven to 230°C/210°C fan)/gas mark 8 with a roasting tin inside.
2. Put the rice and quinoa in a bowl and rinse with several changes of cold water until the water stays clear. Drain well and transfer it to a medium saucepan with 300ml water. Cover and bring to the boil, then reduce the heat and simmer for 15 minutes.
3. Line the hot roasting tin with greaseproof paper, add the aubergine and drizzle with the sunflower oil. Roast for 25 minutes, turning once or twice.
4. When all the water has been absorbed by the rice and quinoa, take the pan off the heat and leave to stand for 10 minutes.
5. Mix the miso with the vinegar, maple syrup and sesame oil. Once the aubergine is soft and golden, toss it with the miso mixture and sprinkle with sesame seeds. Return to the oven for 5 minutes or until sticky and bronzed, then sprinkle with chopped chilli.
6. To season the quinoa rice, heat the vinegar with the sugar and salt to taste until dissolved. When the quinoa rice has rested, drizzle over the mixture and carefully stir it through.
7. Divide the quinoa rice between four bowls. Top with the sticky miso aubergine and serve with colourful vegetables and a big spoonful of kimchi.

Cooking tip

The quinoa rice mixture is also delicious cold, so it’s ideal meal prep for packed lunches. As soon as it’s cooked, spread it out on a large plate and cover with damp kitchen paper. Leave to cool, then store in the fridge for up to 24 hours.