Summer salads: Warm, spiced aubergine salad recipe

This works really well with any barbecued or grilled meat or fish. Serves 4-6 2 large aubergines 50ml sunflower oil Salt 3 small, dried chillies ½ tsp fennel seeds ½ tsp Sichuan peppercorns 3 garlic cloves, crushed 2cm cube ginger, finely chopped 2 fresh red chillies, chopped 2 tbsp dry sherry 2 tbsp rice vinegar 3 tbsp soy sauce 2 tbsp water 1 tbsp sugar 1 tsp sesame oil 4 spring onions, chopped 2 tbsp coriander, chopped 1. Cut the aubergines into 2cm cubes, sprinkle with salt and leave them for 20 minutes on a piece of kitchen towel. 2. Pat them dry, toss them in a little of the sunflower oil and roast in a medium oven for about 20 minutes until just cooked. 3. Grind together the dried chillies, fennel seeds and peppercorns. 4. Add the rest of the sunflower oil to a wok and stir-fry the garlic, ginger and fresh chillies for a few minutes with the ground spices. 5. Add the aubergine, mix together well, quickly followed by the sherry, rice vinegar, soy, water and sugar. Simmer for 5 minutes. 6. Remove from the heat before adding the rest of the ingredients.