Mum’s Mediterranean Vegetable Stew

My mum used to make an aromatic ratatouille-style stew during my childhood, which had a rich tomato base, onions, red peppers, aubergine/eggplant and sometimes courgettes/zucchini or green beans. She called it ghivetch, which means “stew” in some Balkan and Eastern European countries (her mum was born in Odessa), and I loved everything about it. Allowing the vegetables to char before adding the liquid really makes the flavours pop, so don’t rush this part as it makes all the differen