Ingredients:

• 1 medium-sized eggplant – stem removed and cut into small cubes
• 1 large carrot peeled and cut into thin slices – you can make them look like flowers by removing a small wedge on all 4 sides of the carrot
• ½ shallot finely chopped
• 1 celery stalk, peeled and finely chopped
• 1 thumbnail-sized piece of fresh ginger finely grated
• reserved apricot pits
• 1 large kafir lime leave, crumbled
• 1 cup of bulgur (alternatively medium-grain couscous)
• 1/3 cup of dried cherries (alternatively raisins or dried cranberries)
• 2.5 cups of boiling water and the relevant amount of your favorite broth (I used chicken)
• salt & ground pepper to taste
• 1 TBSP of oil (not olive)
• 1 TBSP of balsamic vinegar

Putting it all together:

- Heat oil in a casserole pot. Add eggplant, carrot, shallot, apricot pits and kafir lime leaf.
Stir fry about 5  minutes.

- In the meantime boil the water for your broth. Place the dried cherries in a small bowl,
add ½ cup of boiling water and the TBSP of vinegar and let stand to soften.

- Mix the rest of the 2 cups of boiling water with the broth.

- Add the bulgur to the pot stirring it with the vegetables to both mix and toast it for about 3 minutes.

- Remove pot from the heat. Add the broth carefully mixing as you go along since it will spit and boil.
Return the pot to the heat and stir the mixture carefully bringing it back to a boil. Add salt and pepper.
Turn off the heat and cover. Let stand for 5 minutes.

- Remove the lid, fluff the mixture with a fork. Add the reserved cherries, vinegar and soaking liquid.
Fluff again and adjust seasoning.

- Transfer to a pre-warmed dish or tangine and serve with the kebabs.

P.S. The leftover bulgur can be eaten as a cold salad the next day. Add more vinegar and tobasco if needed.