Chicken and Vegetable Soup

Peel the eggplant and dice to your preferred size (Not to big or small).
Place the chopped eggplant in a sieve or colander and balance over a bowl. Sprinkle the eggplant with a decent amount of salt (Don't worry, the salt won't stay on it) and ensure it's all covered.

Leave for about 20 minutes while you prepare the rest of the veggies, or until the bitter liquid escapes.

Peel the pumpkin, onion and carrots and chop to the same size as the eggplant.

Cut the chicken to roughly the same size.

Crush the garlic and keep it with the onion.

Cover the bottom of a large cooking pot with olive oil, the sprays are perfect.

Heat the oil over medium heat and add the onion and garlic, stir until the onion is soft. Add the carrots and onion. Try not to brown the veggies for presentation but it doesn't really matter.

By now you should find a brown liquid has leaked out of the eggplant. Rinse off the eggplant in cold water and make sure the salt has completely rinsed off. Add to the soup mixture and stir for about a minute.

Add the vegetable stock and cover. Bring to the boil, then turn heat down so the soup is simmering. Leave for around 45 minutes.

Add the chicken and stir until cooked through. Add pepper to taste.

Serve hot.

Note: If the soup is too watery or thick you can add water or turn the heat up uncovered and reduce it to desired thickness. I hope you enjoy!