Grilled eggplant on tahini mayonnaise with dukkah and fermented kohlrabi

Ingredients for 4 servings:

• 1 kohlrabi
• 20 g salt
• 60 g sugar
• 60 g ginger
• 30 g garlic
• 1 red chili pepper(s)
• 40 ml fish sauce, for vegans light soy sauce
• 40 ml water
• 2 tbsp tahini
• 2 tbsp almond milk (almond drink)
• ½ lemon(s), juice
• 1 tbsp apple cider vinegar
• 4 tbsp olive oil
• salt and pepper
• 100 g hazelnuts, peeled and roasted
• 25 g sunflower seeds, roasted
• 25 g sesame seeds, roasted
• 1 tsp coriander seeds, roasted
• 1 tsp cumin, roasted
• ½ tsp chili flakes
• ½ tsp paprika
• ½ tsp salt
• 2 eggplant(s)
• 1 tbsp honey, liquid, for vegans maple syrup
• 1 tbsp miso paste
• 2 tbsp sesame oil

Instructions

Working time approx. 30 minutes; Rest period approx. 7 days; Cooking/baking time approx. 20 minutes; Total time approx. 7 days 50 minutes

vegetarian or vegan starter or small main course according to Joey O’Hare

First things first: This small vegetarian or vegan dish requires a seven-day preparation time due to the fermentation process. Despite the numerous components, it’s actually quite straightforward to prepare. Start with the kohlrabi, peeling and finely dicing it. Reserve the top and root ends to keep the vegetables pressed in the fermentation liquid later. Peel the garlic cloves and deseed the chili pepper, then blend them with the remaining ingredients—minus the kohlrabi—using a hand blender to form a thin paste. Mix well with the kohlrabi cubes, transfer everything to a clean jar, and press the cubes down with the ends facing down. Cover and let ferment for one week at room temperature, away from light. Do not close the jar tightly so that the carbon dioxide can escape. For the mayonnaise, combine all ingredients except the olive oil. Slowly add the olive oil, whisking continuously with the hand blender to create an emulsion. Season to taste with salt, pepper, and perhaps a little lemon juice and vinegar. For the dukkah, roughly chop all ingredients with a hand blender. Cut the eggplant crosswise into approximately 1 cm thick slices. Score the surfaces crosswise. Mix the miso, honey or maple syrup, and sesame oil and brush the eggplant slices with it. Grill the eggplant slices in a preheated oven at 220°C (top/bottom heat) for approximately 10-15 minutes on one of the top racks, until soft and toasted. To serve, first spread a wide strip of mayonnaise on a plate. Arrange the eggplant slices in a row on top. Sprinkle with dukkah and, on top, with kohlrabi cubes. Drizzle with a little of the fermentation liquid and serve warm.