Miso Roasted Eggplant with Pickled Cucumber and Jasmine Rice

Steps

1. Preheat oven to 220°C. Combine rice, water and a pinch of salt in a small pot and bring to the boil. As soon as it boils, cover with a tight-fitting lid and reduce to lowest heat to cook for 12 minutes. Turn off heat and leave to steam, still covered, for a further 8 minutes. Do not lift lid during cooking.
2. Combine miso paste, water, sesame oil, honey and first measure of sesame seeds in a medium bowl. Cut eggplant into 2cm wedges, add to bowl and toss to coat well. Line an oven tray with baking paper, transfer eggplant to tray and bake for about 15 minutes, turning halfway through cooking.
3. Cut spring onions into 5cm lengths. After eggplant has cooked for 15 minutes, add spring onions to tray and cook a further 5 minutes, until tender and eggplant is caramelised.
4. Thinly slice cucumber. Bring vinegar, water, salt and sugar to the boil in a small pot. As soon as it boils remove from heat and add cucumber, stirring to coat. Set aside to pickle for about 10 minutes. Drain liquid before serving.
5. Cut lime into wedges; pick coriander; roughly tear seaweed and set aside for serving. Thinly slice spinach. When rice is cooked fluff up grains with a fork, add vinegar and spinach and fold through. Season to taste with soy sauce.
6. To serve, spoon 3/4 cup cooked rice into bowls and top with wedges of miso roasted eggplant and pickled cucumber. Drizzle with miso and ginger tofu sauce. Sprinkle over sesame seeds, peanuts, chilli flakes (if using), coriander leaves and seaweed. Serve lime on the side for squeezing.