This simple cooked salad is festive, exotic and truly delicious. It is traditionally served as a warm side dish, but I also love it as a cold dip with chunks of grainy bread or raw vegetables.  Don’t be afraid of the spices – they blend well, taste wonderful, and are super healthy for you!

2 medium eggplants (aubergines) peeled and diced

4 medium tomatoes peeled and diced

2 tablespoons olive oil

2 – 3 cloves garlic finely chopped

¾ teaspoons of kosher salt

2 heaping teaspoons of cumin

2 heaping teaspoons of sweet paprika

1 teaspoon chilli powder

1 teaspoon fresh ground pepper

1 teaspoon white wine vinegar

2 tablespoons chopped parsley

Cook eggplant, garlic and salt over low heat with lid on for 5 minutes. Take off lid and start to turn and mash the mixture it until soft and brown. Add tomatoes, cumin, paprika, chilli powder and pepper and continue mashing until tomato is cooked. Add vinegar before you turn off the heat. Sprinkle with parsley before serving.