Iraqi tepsi - vegetable and kofta tray bake in tamarind tomato sauce

Put 50 g of seedless tamarind pulp in a bowl and pour over 150 ml of boiling water. Mash to start it softening and set aside 15 to 30 minutes.

Mash again, then press through a sieve to remove seeds and peel, leaving pure tamarind extract.

Into the same jug add the tomato passata, tomato paste, white vinegar, sugar, salt, black pepper and cayenne, then 250 ml of water. Mix to combine.

Cut the aubergine into 8-10 mm slices, thicker than the rest because aubergine shrinks.

Peel the potatoes and cut into 5-6 mm slices. Slice the onions, green peppers and plum tomatoes the same way.

Variation: cube the vegetables instead of slicing and cook the tepsi on the stove as a stew.

Pre-cooking is optional but recommended. Heat about 2 cups of vegetable oil in a frying pan over high heat until shimmering, fry the aubergine and potato slices 2-3 minutes a side until golden, and drain on paper towels. Frying the green peppers adds flavour.

Alternative to frying: toss the vegetables in olive oil, spread on a tray and bake at 220C for around 15 minutes until well browned.

For the kofta, shred a medium onion on a box grater and add it with all its juices to 500 g of lamb mince.

Add the fine breadcrumbs, the chopped parsley, the minced garlic, salt and black pepper.

Knead with your hands until the mixture is a sticky homogenous ball, then portion at around 40 g each and roll smooth.

In a high-walled baking dish, stack one of each vegetable, flatten a kofta to about twice the width of a vegetable slice and add it to the stack. Lay the stack in the tray and repeat, randomising the order each time.

Pour the sauce directly over each slice of vegetable and kofta.

Bake at 200C for about 30 to 40 minutes, until the sauce bubbles and caramelises.

Decorate with chopped parsley and serve with long grain basmati rice and plenty of sauce.