Hot Stuff! Cypriot Stuffed Aubergines And Minty Cumin Yoghurt - cooking recipe

Ingredients

STUFFED AUBERGINES
3 aubergines, leaf ends trimmed
200 g puy lentils
750 ml water
2 -4 garlic cloves, peeled and crushed, to taste
1 -2 tablespoon olive oil, to taste
2 onions, finely chopped
4 large ripe tomatoes, finely chopped or 400 g canned tomatoes
1 tablespoon tomato puree
1 -2 teaspoon cayenne pepper, to taste
2 teaspoons ground cumin
1 teaspoon ground cinnamon
1 teaspoon chili powder
salt
ground black pepper
YOGHURT
500 ml natural Greek yogurt
2 tablespoons mint, chopped
2 teaspoons ground cumin
GARNISH
mint sprig

Preparation

Pre-heat oven to 250C/495F/Gas 9.
Grease a large oven to table dish - or a roasting dish with a little of the olive oil.
Rinse the lentils under cold running water. Drain and place in a saucepan with the water and garlic. Cover and simmer for 30 minutes. The consistency should be thick because this will be stuffed in the aubergines.
Cut the aubergines in half lengthways & bake them in the pre-heated oven for about 20 - 30 minutes. Leave them to cool and scoop out most of the flesh and keep it aside for stuffing, leaving an inch thick border to form a shell.
Whilst the aubergines are cooking, heat the olive oil in a frying pan, add the onions, tomatoes and fry gently for 5 minutes. Chop the scooped aubergine flesh and add to the pan with spices. Cook gently for another 5 minutes. Now add the lentils, tomato puree,all the spices & salt and pepper to taste.
Spoon the mixture into the shells. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes.
Make the minted cumin yoghurt whilst the aubergines are baking; add the cumin and mint to the yoghurt & mix well. Put it into an attractive dish and garnish with a sprig of fresh mint.
Serve the aubergines hot or cold, topped with the minted cumin yoghurt and an extra sprinkling of cayenne pepper if you need an extra \"kick\"!