Ingredients (Makes ½ a cup)

150 gm. Eggplant

100 gm. Tomatoes

3-4 Bulbs of Garlic

1 tbsp. Olive oil

5-6 Pitted black olives

1 tsp. salt

½ tsp. red chilli flakes

1 tsp. cumin seeds

Halloumi cheese

Method

Prick the eggplant all over with a fork, rub with olive oil and place in a roasting dish/pan. Quarter the tomato, throw in the garlic bulbs, drizzle some more olive oil. Roast the vegetables in a pre-heated oven 200 C for about 40 minutes or until the eggplant becomes soft.

Take out of the oven and let cool. Once cool, peel off the skin of the eggplant and blitz the eggplant pulp, roasted tomato and garlic bulbs together in a food processor or blender

Add the olives, salt, chilli flakes and cumin and blitz again. The mixture would be more or less smooth with some bits of olives and tomatoes.

Empty the contents in a jar and leave to rest for a minimum of two hours.

Closer to serving time toast thin slices of French bread and smear with some butter for added flavor. Cut thin slivers of Halloumi and grill on a griddle pan. If you are not fond of cheese you can omit this step. Slather the toasted bread pieces with eggplant dip, top it with Halloumi cheese and eat immediately for a completely delicious and healthy protein kick.