Ayesha: "If you don't stab an aubergine (eggplant) before you put them on the fire, they explode. So my dish is called "Pillars of Wisdom" and it is based on T.E. Lawrence, also known as Lawrence of Arabia. He was a good Welsh boy."

Ayesha: "I love aubergines (eggplants), so I'm roasting these, and then they're going to be glazed with miso and some of the resting liquid from the burnt aubergines. We've got smoked almonds with nutritional yeast that sort of create a crumbly sand texture. I'm making a baba ghanoush, but I spike it with lots of pomegranate molasses, so it's really sort of sharp and tangy."

Spencer Metzger: "So that's an aubergine puree?"

Ayesha: "Yes, with lots of tahini through it. And I've taken aubergine skins that have been burnt, so they're deep fried."

Notes taken during cooking

Spencer Metzger: "The only concern I have with this dish is the way she cooks is very wholesome and very hearty. I just hope she hasn't over chef-ified it."

Ayesha is making a miso glaze and creating sand by mixing a thickening agent with tahini."

Ayesha: "I've got some tahini sand to be like a desert. And also I've got sort of a smoked almond crumble."

Spencer Metzger, talking after tasting:

"Ayesha's tahini sand had a really powerful flavor from the tahini. She's just got to be careful how much of that goes on the plate because the texture and flavor can be quite overpowering."

Plating

Ayesha: “Right, let's have a look at my aubergine. We want them to be soft and squishy.”

Tahini sand and almond crumbs are first.

She adds aubergine puree and miso glazed aubergine.

Pomegranates go on the top of each plate.

Finished with pickled onion, fried brick pastry, and aubergine skin crisps.

Ayesha's mountain scene is complete.